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Ours are pretty extensive and we run a credit/background check through a service.
We get the names and ages of anyone that will live in the house.
copy of drivers license. ss# date of birth. phone # cell phone # emergency contact info. pets-size, type. health concerns of any tenants, vehicle information.
Our negotiations fell through on our one and only offer on our house in 8 months. We are now considering trying to lease it. We have been looking at a website Tenant Screening by LandlordPortal.com™ but have not done enough research to endorse it. The site does seem to have forms, info on background checks, etc.
I've never heard of asking for health concerns where I live. I think that would be considered discrimination ....... In Southern California, I belong to an Apartment Association where I have up-to-date rental agreements and applications. I make sure they are completely filled out ............. SSN, drivers license #'s, past landlord history and an emergency contact (an emergency contact is NOT a boyfriend, etc. I would prefer a parent or close relative) I also request 2 recent paycheck stubs along with a copy of their drivers license. If you want to run a background criminal check, you have to do it on EVERY applicant (again, where I live). Otherwise, that would be considered discrimination. Treat all applicants alike, and you'll be fine.
Another thing when verifying employment, ALWAYS ask to speak to HR or payroll. Don't ask for the person your applicant says is their Supervisor. The "Supervisor" can be anyone. Trust me, I learned the hard way once
Someone tried to scam me once too. They listed John Doe as their former landlord and the name didn't match up with the owner of the building on county records.
Credit check with fico scores will give you a good indication of the strength of the tenant and how responsible the are. Along with the standard employment, referances, paystubs or w2's plus #of people living in the home, acceptable # of cars.
Blessings!
Most state Associations of Realtors have promulgated leases with most of the needed standard clauses. Fl Assoc. Realtors does but it lacks a few salient clauses you will want to add. I recommend that you get to know an attorney now - you've bought a valuable piece of property protect it before you have a problem. Watch too for certain types of dogs (certain vicious breeds of dogs are typically denied now by many owners). Also you want to limit the number of people that can live in the home by the ratio of sq.ft. to people (careful on this one too it can get into fair housing issues for discrimination - set your limit and stick to it no matter who wants to lease or what they want to pay.) Make sure you also decide how long a "guest" of the tenant can stay (like 3 days etc...) with out paying rent. These seem like picune details but you might find, like one of my inexperienced owners did that the tenant and her sister and their kids and their grandmother all "stayed" at the house even though only 2 people were on the lease. It's also very hard to legally evict people you don't have a lease with. The more hostile things become between you and a tenant the more "at risk" your property becomes for damage.
The pros at getting free rent don't go to organized national companies or career landlords that have a lot of properties to pull their scams... they fish out the guy with the first rental property who may be unprepared for them. Just start with a solid lease.
There should be a service in your immediate area (did you say where you were?) that can do a prior eviction search that goes back a couple of years.
Chances are the people that come to you are fine. You're probably ok with a credit check and a criminal background check but it's hard to find them on a national search basis. There are lots of companies out there to use - the big national apartment companies use a company called RealPage RealPage and they can help you report back to the credit bureaus when your tenant moves out so if you have to evict them you can actually post that on their credit report. I don't know if it will be cost effective to use them for one search but there are local companies where you are that can help you if RealPage is too pricey for a single search.
Definately search for prior eviction history at least at the last city/county and surrounding counties where they claim to have previously lived and the city/county and surrounding counties of their closest relatives.
Make sure you also decide how long a "guest" of the tenant can stay (like 3 days etc...) with out paying rent. These seem like picune details but you might find, like one of my inexperienced owners did that the tenant and her sister and their kids and their grandmother all "stayed" at the house even though only 2 people were on the lease.
I understand wanting to make sure that no one stays on indefinitely. However, what do you do if you invite your parents out from another state to stay at your place on vacation and your landlord says only 3 days as noted above? That doesn't seem quite fair either.
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Don't forget to pull PRIOR evictions
