Being a landlord can be extremely challenging. Landlords often encounter numerous obstacles that they have to overcome quickly. But the most difficult aspect of being a landlord does not concern expensive repairs and maintenance or even paperwork and legal technicalities.
It is managing tenant relations that can be a source of endless stress and frustration, with the very real prospect of having to go through the complex tenant eviction process hanging over your head.
That is why many landlords prefer to hire professional property managers and why property management companies in Clairemont Mesa and nearby areas are absolutely meticulous when performing tenant screening. Careful tenant screening is half the battle. So what does the process involve?
What does a tenant screening consist of?
Tenant screening is an intricate step-by-step process. It starts by attracting and shortlisting quality applicants before handpicking individual candidates who best match the selection criteria. The process involves detailed credit report evaluations, criminal background checks, viewing past rental histories and more.
How do you pass a tenant screening process?
The safest way to pass a tenant screening is to be good on paper, which is the first step to getting shortlisted. To be good on paper, a tenant needs to have an excellent credit score, impeccable past rentals history and eviction record, spotless criminal record, etc.
The next step in the process is typically an in-person interview, during which the applicant will get a chance to make a lasting first impression on the landlord or property manager. This is where another important tenant screening factor comes into play: whether the applicant is cooperative and easy to communicate with.
Experienced property managers and owners know how to read between the lines, so they are likely to scrutinize every aspect of the applicant’s words and behavior.
What puts a tenant at risk of eviction?
In the state of California, a tenant can be evicted in a diverse range of scenarios, such as if the tenant:
- fails to pay the rent when rent is due
- violates the lease or rental agreement and refuses to fix the problem, such as keeping a pet when pets are not allowed
- commits waste, which is defined as inflicting material damage to the property resulting in lower property value
- Interferes with other tenants substantially, such as disturbing other tenants and neighbors while ignoring the manager’s or landlord’s requests to stop
- uses the property for unlawful activities
In many cities, a tenant will also be evicted if they stay at the property although their lease is up
or the landlord has already presented them with a proper notice, thereby canceling the rental agreement.
While it is customary for a landlord to terminate tenancy simply by issuing a 30 or 60 days’ advance written notice, in the scenarios listed above, a tenant may receive a 3-day notice.
Unfortunately, however careful you are, there is a risk that a tenant will break the rules and that eviction will be your only option. This is why careful tenant screening is absolutely necessary in the real estate rental world. Professional property managers typically rely on a streamlined, automated process to perform tenant screening and protect the owners’ interests.
Contact one of the leading property management companies in Clairemont Mesa
As a reputable property management company serving Clairemont Mesa and other areas across San Diego, we have a responsibility to you. In addition to full-service property management, you can count on us to provide an easily accessible, responsive customer service.
Our proven system delivers results, and it is to this system that we owe our high success rate and our large base of clients. We will do everything in our power to save you time and boost your revenue by connecting you with reasonable, cooperative tenants who will be in it for the long haul and handling tenant relations on your behalf.
Are you ready to find out what this means for you and why investing in property management services is a worthwhile decision? Contact us today!
