The process leading up to signing a lease involves both the tenant and landlord doing a certain amount of research to make sure the agreement makes sense for both sides. For tenants, it’s closely examining the property and the neighborhood to make sure it fits their standards, and doing the necessary research to make sure the landlord has a good history of working with tenants. For landlords, it means doing what they can to find tenants that will take care of their property and pay their rent.
As you’re searching for a place to rent, it’s in your best interest to make sure you are the type of tenant that landlords want to rent to.
Here are a few things that landlords will be looking for:
Ability to pay the rent
You should know the answer better than anyone as to whether or not you can afford your rent, but landlords also like to conduct their due diligence in this realm. Landlords may ask for proof of employment or conduct a credit check to make sure you have a history of making payments on time.
Good neighbors
The last thing a landlord wants to deal with is a tenant that will be a headache for neighbors or other tenants – and worse, someone who might run afoul the law. Landlords don’t want to be put in a position where they might have to evict someone for bad behavior. Property owners often conduct criminal background and rental history checks for previous criminal behavior or evictions.
Is getting my rental history report a good idea?
If you suspect there might be an issue in your past that could give landlords a reason not to enter a lease agreement with you, it’s probably a good idea for you to check your own rental history. By using a service like My Rental History Report, you can get access to your own report quickly and conveniently. By knowing where you stand, you can explain past issues to prospective landlords with the assurances that you have nothing to hide.
