Screening potential tenants is the most important, and tedious, job on the list when it comes to preparing to rent out your home. Having all prospective tenants complete an application with the below 12 questions can go a very long way in terms of making this process easier, and reducing any issues that could come at a later stage.
Pre-Screening Questions
Pre-Screening Questions
- What is your name and phone number?
- When do you need to move out of your current home, and what date are you looking to move in?
- Do you currently work or attend University?
- Will there be anyone else living with you?
- Why are you moving out of your current home?
- When would you like to move in? (If the answer here is today, or ASAP, be wary of what the reason for this could be)
- Do you have any pets? If so, how many and what type?
- Have you ever been evicted from a home in the past? If yes, what was the reason?
- Have you ever broken a lease in the past? If yes, what was the reason?
- Do you smoke?
- Have you ever not paid rent on time? If yes, what was the reason?
- Is the total move-in amount of money available to be paid now? (The answer to this will give you a good indication of their financial responsibility and position)
- How did you hear about this home for rent? (The answer to this question will help you know which areas of your marketing efforts worked better than the others)
- Who is your emergency contact? (The answer to this will give you an extra person to contact should the tenant not pay their rent on time or refuse communication with you)
