7 Warning signs of bad tenants

A constant battle for landlords when finding new tenants – who can you believe and trust? Who is going to be a good tenant?

We have a few pointers to look out for from prospective tenants which would indicate they mightn’t be your dream occupant.

1. Costs are haggled – anyone excessively going over costs and trying to get them lowered either cannot afford the place or will be trouble down the line when extra costs come into play such a end of tenancy repairs and cleaning.
2. Alarm inspections – smoke alarm, entry alarm, fire sprinklers – too much interest can indicate they might be looking to remove these.
3. Mystery smells and sounds – hearing or smelling things that are not there will only get worse as the tenancy goes on.
4. Noise – excitable people who get loud at every turn will have the neighbours calling you at all hours especially in apartment or unit situations.
5. Asking about limits of tenant numbers – I can’t count the amount of times I have had groups of too many people through properties, when explaining the limit on occupancy someone is just  a friend or even better – they can find their own place then. Spoiler: They won’t be finding their own place.
6. Immediate move in – when tenants are rushing you to get the process done think about why they need to move in so quickly – what has happened at their previous accommodation?
7. Inconsistent information and lack of information – if you have to ask more than twice they are being evasive, why? You don’t have time for stories that don’t add up.

When you hear or see any of the above politely decline and move onto your next applicant. You don’t have a to give them a reason for declining their application and we suggest that you dont as it leaves room for response. You simply want to tell them they were unlucky in this case, best for future searches and end the conversation there.

It can be intimidating sometimes knowing what to look for. We can take care of this for you, installing a great tenant for you manage once they have moved in.

The information contained in this publication is exclusively for promotional purposes and is not to be relied upon for legal or contractual dealings. Tenant Source recommends you seek independent legal advice, and that you may need to seek technical or other advice and information prior to making any actions in regards to tenancies in your investment properties. Tenant Source Ltd including its staff and directors accepts no responsibility for any issues arising as a result of taking advice from this publication.