Tenant Screening Checklist
Download REI Grove’s tenant screening checklist to organize your rental application process and evaluate prospective tenants.
Key Takeaways
- A tenant screening checklist keeps landlords organized as they collect applications, review tenant information, and compare potential renters.
- New landlords should create consistent screening standards before they begin accepting rental applications.
- Landlords should verify important applicant information, including income, employment, rental history, and references.
- By using REI Grove’s tenant screening checklist, landlords can feel confident they’ve covered the most important steps before choosing a tenant for their rental property.
Tenant Screening Checklist
Screening tenants is one of the best ways to avoid landlord-tenant disputes. Although nothing guarantees a stress-free tenancy, thoroughly screening your applicants will surely reduce the risk. Establishing tenant screening criteria, such as stable income, rental history, and responsible behavior ensures this.
By downloading our tenant screening checklist, you will have full access to a guide that leads you through this important process. This checklist advises how to find reliable and responsible tenants who meet your rental obligations.
Why Should You Prioritize the Tenant Screening Process?
Eviction is a lengthy and expensive process that you should avoid until it’s absolutely necessary. Vetting a tenant prior to them even getting the keys, including steps like verifying their monthly income and viewing their credit history, will help you avoid eviction the best you can. Conducting background and credit checks and assessing past rental history should give you a good idea of who is the most likely to keep up with their rent payments and follow the guidelines in their lease, as well as assessing their income and employment history.
It's often a logical idea to include specific details like a credit check, a background check, and application fees in the rental listing. This pre-screens potential renters and sets expectations for your tenant screening criteria.
Tenant Screening Checklist at a Glance
| Screening Area | Why It Matters | Examples of What to Review |
|---|---|---|
| Rental Application | Helps landlords collect consistent information from each applicant. | Contact information, rental history, employment information, and references. |
| Income and Employment | Helps landlords evaluate whether the applicant may be able to afford rent. | Monthly income, employment status, pay stubs, or employer verification. |
| Rental History | Helps landlords understand how the applicant has handled past rental responsibilities. | Prior landlord references, payment history, lease compliance, and move-out history. |
| Screening Reports | Helps landlords review additional applicant background information when legally allowed. | Credit history, eviction history, criminal background information, and other screening report details. |
| Final Decision | Helps landlords choose tenants using consistent standards. | Screening criteria, application notes, communication records, and next steps before lease signing. |
What Does the Tenant Screening Checklist Cover?
REI Grove’s tenant screening checklist was created to help landlords move through the screening process carefully and consistently.
This checklist includes:
- Creating tenant screening criteria
- Reviewing rental applications
- Verifying income and employment
Common Landlord Missteps in Tenant Screening
New landlords are vulnerable to some common mistakes. Even an experienced property manager can fall into these tenant screening traps.
Misstep #1: Not Verifying Both Landlord and Employer References
While it seems obvious to contact the applicant's previous landlord, it's important to also contact their current and former employers. Not only can you use that point of contact to verify the tenant's financial history (including their role, income, and length of employment), but it's also a good way to ensure that they remain in good standing with those bosses and were a reliable employee. If someone was an irresponsible employee, it's possible that they have a larger risk of being a non-ideal tenant. This makes reaching out to the tenant's prior landlords and employers one of the most important steps in the tenant screening process.
Misstep #2: Assuming You Have a Right to Run Credit and Criminal Background Checks
Your applicants' privacy should be one of the most important things you consider as you're going through the tenant screening process. Credit and criminal background checks contain large amounts of personal information. Although this information is helpful when screening an applicant, you must remember that the tenant must first give you written permission to run a credit report or background check.
Additionally, remember that in many states, renters have protections against discrimination based on certain aspects of their criminal histories. While landlords can generally deny a prospective tenant based on a conviction, it must be clear how their criminal record makes them an ill-suited tenant—and in some states, even conviction-based rental decisions are restricted. Be sure you're familiar with the law in your state before using criminal histories during tenant screening.
Misstep #3: Trusting the Prospective Tenant to Provide Their Own Credit Check
Once you've obtained written permission, it's always preferable for you to run the credit check on your applicant with a trusted third party. Although many applicants have good intentions, there are a few who will purposefully alter credit information to make them seem like a better applicant. Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian are great options for applicant credit checks.
Conclusion
Although tenant screening may seem overwhelming, dealing with the even more complicated eviction process is not a risk you want to take. Tenants can be the best or worst part of the property managing job, and proper tenant screening is a good way to reduce the potential for tenant-related headaches. Selecting the right tenant is crucial for maintaining a positive landlord-tenant relationship and ensuring the smooth operation of your rental property.
Download REI Grove’s tenant screening checklist—or use Innago's screening services to do this online—to start objectively screening prospective tenants and getting quality tenants in your rental property.
FAQs
What is a tenant screening checklist?
A tenant screening checklist is a tool landlords can use to organize the steps involved in reviewing rental applicants. It can help landlords remember important tasks like collecting applications, verifying income, contacting references, and reviewing screening information.
Why is tenant screening important?
Tenant screening is important because it helps landlords evaluate whether an applicant is likely to pay rent, follow lease terms, and take care of the property. While no screening process can guarantee a perfect tenancy, a consistent process can reduce avoidable risk.
What should landlords look for when screening tenants?
Landlords commonly review income, employment, rental history, references, credit history, eviction history, and other information when legally allowed. Landlords should also use consistent written screening criteria for each applicant.
Do landlords need permission to run a tenant screening report?
Yes. Landlords should get written permission before running credit checks, background checks, or other tenant screening reports. They should also understand the rules that apply in their state and locality.
How can landlords make tenant screening more consistent?
Landlords can make tenant screening more consistent by creating written rental criteria, using the same process for each applicant, documenting communications, and keeping organized records throughout the application process.