How to avoid bad tenants

Ending up with a bad tenant can be a costly and stressful process, often taking months to get rid of the tenant and incurring rent arrears and legal costs in evicting the tenant.  

Taking the time at the start of the tenancy to vet your tenant can prevent problems later.  

Here are some tips to help in getting the right tenant:-

• Meet the tenant before signing up - a face to face meeting is always a good idea, you can see if you like them, if you can't meet them speak to them on the phone
• Check the documentation - ask for ID, proof of income, references from previous landlords and follow-up the references, don't just accept them on face value.
• Check the tenant's credit history - this will tell you if they have any CCJs and if they pay their bills on time
• Check their rental history - do they move around a lot, if so is there a reasonable explanation for this?
• If they need to move in quickly ask why, if this is because they are being evicted from their previous property find out why they are being evicted.   Even if there is a possession order, a tenant will be given time to move out.
• Trust your instincts - you are agreeing for the person to move into your property, you want them to pay rent and look after the property, everything might seem ok, but if your gut feeling is telling you that they are not the right tenants maybe there is a reason for this.

If you have a bad tenant it can take months to evict them and can cost you a fortune in lost rent and legal feels.  Taking time  to ensure you get the right tenant is a good investment.

If you need any advice or assistance please do not hesitate to email me at propertyhawk@fidler.co.uk or call on 01623 448331

Rebecca Brough

Partner, Fidler & Pepper

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