If you've ever owned rental property, you understand the problem with renters. Sometimes, renters can be benign, paying their rent promptly, leaving the home undamaged. However, most of the time, the scenario is very different. Many renters feel no sense of responsibility for your rental property – after all, it's not theirs is it? Under this misapprehension, they will be late on their rent, they will cause structural damage to the home and they can leave without paying their due.
This woeful song is a well-known refrain to those who have rented property to others. However, it need not be the dirge it seems. You can use vital information to ensure that you let the right tenants into your rental home. This helps you ensure that they will remain for the duration of the rental contract, that they will remain current on the rent and that they will not damage the structure, incurring extraneous costs that you, as the owner, must pay before the home can be rented out once more.
Using public records, you can vet each and every applicant who submits for your rental property. Does this go beyond simply checking references? While references can be beneficial, they are not sufficient to ensure that you have the right renters. Public records can give you a world of information about a person, long before they enter into a rental agreement with you.
Public records can help you determine a renter's current and past financial status, which will help you determine if they are likely to skip on the month's rent or let the utility bills lapse. You can search a renter's criminal background to determine if they have ever been charged with the destruction of property or other similar crimes. In addition, you can use their records to verify their identity and ensure that you are renting to whom you think you are.
Deception, fraud, theft and worse can occur should you opt not to use public records to vet your renters. Making use of these tools is simple and easy, as well. You can find a wealth of information online, which can help you determine which renters are the right fit for you and your property. You'll find that you can access almost anything you need, within seconds through an online website, helping you speed the process along. After all, an empty rental property does not bring in any income.