Are you a landlord handling property management yourself? We understand how time consuming that can be, so we want to help. In this blog, we’re letting you know questions to ask potential tenants.
There are many things to consider when completing property management tasks yourself. For example, you’ll need to find tenants, organise rental agreements, organise maintenance, advertise the property and much more. It can end up being a full-time job in itself. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to find a trusted letting agent who can help.
We offer a let only and a full management service, enabling you to select the services that you’d like to delegate. Find out more about our landlord services here.
We’ve already written a blog regarding finding reliable tenants, which goes into more detail of the tenant screening process and why it’s so important. Let’s take a look at some of the most useful questions you could ask prospective tenants.
Pre-screening questions to ask potential tenants
Why are you moving?
This question is a great place to start. It could be due to family commitments, wanting more space, a new job or perhaps they love the area and fancy a change.
If a tenant is moving due to a poor experience, you will need to verify this with their current landlord.
When do you want to move in?
Ideally, your rental property would not be empty for a prolonged period, as this leads to a loss of income for you. It’s good to ensure that the dates align with your former tenants and new ones. Most tenants will need to serve a notice period before they can leave their current rental home.
How long have you been renting your current home?
This can give landlords an idea of how serious the tenant is and how long they are likely to stay for. A tenant who moves house every few months may not be ideal, as you will need to complete this process again very soon.
Typically, tenancy agreements are for between 6 and 12 months. However, changes may be coming due to the Renters’ Rights Bill.
Can you organise references?
References can be really useful in verifying what the prospective tenant is saying. You might seek references from the tenant’s employer or their previous landlord, if they have one.
Great tenants should be more than happy to provide references for the home.
What are you looking for in a rental property?
This question can be useful if you’re looking to enhance your rental home and maximise your investment. As a landlord, it’s important to keep the property safe, well-maintained and competitive. Read our blog on seasonal maintenance tips for landlords.
Additional landlord tips to find potential renters
- Ask about pets
- Ask what they like about the area
- Meet the tenants in person
- Check rental history and that they haven’t broken a rental agreement in the past
- Ensure they have sufficient income to pay monthly rent
Finding good tenants for your property can be challenging, but if you use a dedicated letting agency, like Intus Lettings, you won’t need to worry about it.
We work alongside tenants to ensure that the property is right for them, minimising future issues. We will take care of the entire rental application process, including seeking landlord references, completing background checks, verifying monthly income and more.
We are passionate about supporting landlords and always ensure a high standard of service. Contact us to see how we can support you.
