Property Manager – Woodland Hills
Warning Signs to Watch Out for When Screening Tenants
When the prospective tenant answers the questions above, listen carefully for the following warning signs:
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If they give you a relatively long back story rather than answering the question directly.
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If they are evasive about answering any of the questions.
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If they seem desperate or are in a hurry to move (although factor in situations of abuse as sometimes people are simply escaping other people).
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If they are viewing the space with their parents – even worse if the parents are asking all the questions and this is their first time away from home.
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If they have moved every year for the past several years (although factor in the economic situation as many people have had to move for jobs over the past decade).
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If they are apparently under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they’re answering the questions. (Yep, this happens all the time.)
All of the above are general warning signs that may not automatically mean they’re likely to be bad tenants. Discovering that they lied on their application, however, is a definite sign that they’re hiding something from you and likely to be a less-than-desirable tenant.
Whatever you do, as a property manager, you’re required by law to treat everyone equally and fairly. Ask every potential tenant the same questions. Tell every tenant about all the spaces you have available. Let each prospective tenant know you will be checking credit, criminal, and work history.
Landlord-tenancy laws can be quite complex and an inexperienced property manager should work with an experienced real estate attorney to ensure they understand what they can and cannot ask, what they can and cannot do, and so forth. Ideally, it’s best to develop and stick to a process for screening potential tenants to avoid getting into a legal mess later on.
From: https://www.upcounsel.com
Carnahan Property Management Services Woodland Hills,West Hills,Bell Canyon, Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Tarzana, Reseda, Topanga, Encino, Northridge, Van Nuys, North Hills,Chatsworth, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, North Hollywood, West Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, Simi Valley, WestLake Village, Agoura, Toluca Lake, Valley Village, Burbank. Call us at (818) 884-1500.
