As a property investor, one of your biggest fears might be a bad tenant. These are renters who fail to pay rent, damage property, disrupt other tenants, etc. Repairing their damages and evicting them is a costly process.
Thorough tenant screening can help lessen the risk of renting to bad tenants. A comprehensive screening may include a tenant criminal background check. Is this necessary?
Keep reading to learn the importance of this type of check for North Atlanta landlords.
Better Tenants
Running a tenant criminal background check means higher quality renters. A thorough background check determines whether an applicant is responsible.
Along with comprehensive tenant screening, a background check can help you find the right people to fill your units. In addition to a background check, tenant screening will help you determine an applicant's:
- Credit history
- Employment
- Rental history
You can have your own criteria for screening tenants, but you must use the same criteria for every applicant. If you check criminal backgrounds, do it for everyone. This transparency can prevent discrimination lawsuits.
Safer Community
Trustworthy tenants help you build a safer community. Landlords in North Atlanta must provide a safe environment for tenants. Plus, keeping the community safe will help increase property values.
Safety comes in the form of maintenance and repairs, but that's not all. You must find renters who don't pose threats to their neighbors.
A criminal background check can help you determine if applicants are likely to negatively impact the neighborhood. Choosing new tenants should be a well-thought-out process. You might be liable for damages if a tenant was to hurt another.
Additionally, tenants who feel unsafe might be able to terminate their lease agreement. If you are involved with safety concerns, word can easily spread. Fewer new applicants will be willing to live on your property.
Less Property Damage
A real estate investor should do their best to maintain a property. While landlords are responsible for most reasonable repairs and maintenance costs, you won't always have to pay.
Tenants may purposely damage or neglect property. You can use a security deposit for these repairs.
However, some damages can exceed the price of the security deposit. Getting the funds from a disruptive tenant likely won't be easy. Other damages can have lasting impacts on the property.
A criminal tenant background check will help you see if a person has a violent past. You can also reach out to their previous landlords to see how they behaved.
Conduct a Tenant Criminal Background Check With Us
Landlords who want to protect their properties should consider tenant screening. At PMI North Atlanta, a tenant criminal background check is part of our screening process.
We provide thorough screening services and much more to property owners like you. With over 20 years of experience and a customized plan for every property, we can help you reach your investment goals.
We've gained worldwide experience and use it to your advantage on the local level. Our success stems from friendly and professional services. Contact us today to learn more.
