by Kim L Kirsch

Created on: April 18, 2009

In years past, it was rather easy for a person to rent a property such as an apartment, mobile home or even a standalone dwelling. The rules are getting tougher and landlords are becoming more scrupulous as to who they are leasing their properties to. Because these landlords are taking the necessary precautions before giving their final okay to a tenant to dwell on their property, the country is beginning to see much less crime in rental areas.

Studies have shown that it is not the actual tenants who are conducting crimes, destroying property, or having parties late at night keeping neighbors up and driving them to call the police. In reality, these problems are most likely caused by the ex-spouses, acquaintances, significant others or just a friend who is living with the resident unbeknownst to the landlord.

Enforcing clearly defined and articulated community rules that are emphasized during the application process is one way that landlords are heading off this problem. It is not easy for a person to rent a home anymore.
Landlords are utilizing background checks, screening processes, and credit reports in order and to determine whether or not this tenant may be a risk factor to their rental income.

The rules for renting are becoming tougher. In fact, for a married couple, the husband and the wife must be on the lease. In addition, anyone over the age of 18 who is going to move into the dwelling with them will be asked to be on the lease as well. Every person listed as one of the tenants responsible for rent will be subject to screening. Verifying a potential tenant's income as well as their past rental history is only part of the process when it comes to tenant screening. Many landlords today are looking deeper into the lives of the people that they are considering leasing their property to. Verification of the following is becoming commonplace in many rental properties today:

applicant's current employment and current salary

applicant's highest level of education

names of all co-renters and occupants

free personal references, including telephone numbers and addresses

personal information such as address and phone number of relatives not living with the applicant

drivers license

list of vehicles and license plate numbers that will be on the property

past employment for three years

landlords name/names for the past 10 years

Social Security, date of birth and address for the past 10 years

credit references

Landlords are running criminal background checks on their prospective tenants as well. Databases that landlords normally check are the OFAC Patriot Act Database, sex offender databases and general criminal history.

Property owners today are finding that with all of these verifications and checks, they still may not be able to keep all crime or all damage to their property at bay. Once the tenant is approved to move in these property owners are finding that continuous watch and enforcement of the rules is the only way to keep the property clean and free of damage as well as keeping the neighbors safe and happy.

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