In order to avoid troublesome tenants, Houston TX property management companies should conduct thorough and uniform tenant screenings before accepting occupants for a property. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Treat everyone equally: Because there are equal opportunity laws in place to prevent tenant discrimination, Houston TX property management companies must be sure to ask the same questions and request the same information from every potential applicant. Using a consistent screening process will reduce the potential for any sort of discrimination lawsuits, and also make sure that the same sort of information is gathered every time.
- Decide what’s relevant: Since a Houston TX property management company needs to screen all tenants in the same way, it’s crucial to decide what questions are most important. For example, is it necessary to request information about a tenant’s credit score? It might be, but remember that there are many factors that tie into a credit score, and that a poor result may not always indicate that a person would be a bad tenant.
- Ask for references: Ideally, Houston TX property management companies use tenant screenings to show them whether or not an applicant would be reliable. As a Houston TX property manager, ask for the names and contact information of past employers and landlords. Although this isn’t always the most accurate source, any sort of huge problems related to a tenant would probably be brought up during the conversation so that you’d be made aware of them.
- Give your applicants a timeline: As most Houston TX property managers know, applicants are often very anxious to know whether or not they’ve been accepted as a tenant. To cut back on a flood of e-mails and phone calls as they try to check their application status, let them know a time period for when they can expect your decision.
Remember that applying for properties can be stressful, especially if the applicant has not done so in the past. You can make the task a lot easier for them and give yourself peace of mind by clearly outlining the screening process so they know what to expect.