Tenant Background Checks
It’s the second day of the month and you are yet to receive your tenant’s rent. You have to contact them – politely of course, despite the inconvenience – and then listen to a myriad of excuses. And to make things even worse, this isn’t the first time for this to happen.
We can prevent this happening or at least minimise the risk by carrying out a tenant background check for you.
What Does Tenant Background Screening Involve?
Our tenant background checks are rigorously thorough, and so they should be. After all, you’re making a substantial investment and we want to help you get the most from it you possibly can. So to make sure your tenants are who they say they are, and to minimise the risk of rent arrears and other problems, we carry out the following checks:
Identification – make sure the tenant provides a valid form of photographic ID, such as a driver’s licence or passport, to make sure they are who they say they are.
Proof of current address – the tenant is asked to list any address they have lived at or occupied within the last 3 years.
Proof of income – we ask the tenant to provide pay slips, letter from an accountant, letter from employer stating the job is a permanent job in such and such a role and the monthly/annual salary will be £x plus any bonuses. This ensures they have a stable enough income to pay their full rent in a timely and convenient fashion, therefore saving you a lot of stress and worry.
References – we obtain the contact details of the tenant’s previous landlord or letting agent if moving from a rented home. This enables us to check their previous status e.g. if they pay their rent on time and keep the property in an orderly and clean condition.
Informing you after the check
We will provide you with all of the information we have obtained. If there are any irregularities or negative aspects of the tenant’s history then it is up to you to consider whether or not you wish to offer them a tenancy. We will provide you with as much helpful advice as possible, but the ultimate decision rests upon you as to who you let your property to.
Making sure you get the most from our service
It’s important not to rush into the renting process. A lot of people do, as all they want to see is money topping up their bank account every month. This is understandable - you are making an investment after all so you want to see a return.
But the fact that you’re reading this tells us something. You’re taking the smart and calculated approach to renting. You realise it’s a long-term investment so you’re taking the time to make sure you get the most out of your investment.
And if that is the case, then you might also be interested in our Home Insurance for Landlords Information or Landlord Tax Advice pages.
If you need to carry out a thorough tenant background check,then contact us today and one of our experienced agents will be more than happy to help you out.
