Most of us have been tenants at some stage in our lives, but there was always that first time. As property managers, working with first-timers requires
flexibility and sometimes, creativity.
When an application has been received by someone completely new to renting this can prove challenging. We may only have the applicant’s parents or
a disgruntled ex-partner as property references which are unlikely to provide an unbiased report of how they keep a home and whether rent payments
were timely – information that is vital for moving forward with an application.
We all like to think we can sum people up and rely on our gut instinct, but we also need to assure our owners that the selected tenants will look after
their investment and pay their rent on time. In this scenario employment and character references play a more important role. I would suggest a
phone call to the employer with tailored questions, focussing on reliability, organisational skills, maturity, tidiness and presentation. Ask open
questions that don’t allow for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. For example, “how would you describe her character”, “how reliable is she, has she had many
days off” or “have you visited her house recently, how would you describe its condition”. These are quite invasive questions, but necessary given
the restrictions we are working under. Lastly, a google search and scrolling through social media can also reveal a lot about your applicant.
From here the TPS or Tinz background checks covering police and credit history can be undertaken. If these checks reveal anything of concern, call
the tenant and ask them to explain the details to you. The decision to continue or not is then up to you.
When you and the...
