Comments on: TENANT BACKGROUND CHECKS 101: THE PREVIOUS ADDRESS TENANT HISTORY

By: Your Biggest Tenant Screening Mistake | AAOA - American Apartment Owners Association

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:07:59 +0000

[...] Your Biggest Tenant Screening Mistake Is the Tenant From Hell Moving Into Your Unit? You hear the stories from other landlords. “My tenant skipped out.” “My tenant destroyed the property!” So, where do these problem tenants go? They are out there, looking for another rental. And, chances are, they’re not telling you the whole story. Problem tenants repeat the pattern over and over because they learn how to dodge. Do you know how to spot them? “It’s the biggest mistake we see. And we see it over and over again,” begins Bill Gray, with Rent Recovery Services. “We get a file for collection,” Gray continues, “but the information on the application is incorrect. The references don’t check out. That’s when the landlord admits they never called, or they unknowingly got a glowing ‘landlord’ reference from one of the tenant’s friends.” Due diligence is the single most important factor to tenant screening in today’s market. A problem tenant costs more than a vacancy. Be prepared to do some work when it comes to verifying the application. Property managers see these problems frequently, and develop their own techniques to weed out these applicants. One manager shared with us that he has posed as a new renter when calling current and previous landlords as a guise to see if the reference is legitimate. “Once, I asked the reference if his unit was available to rent, but the ‘landlord’ said he didn’t own a rental.” The applicant may be attempting to rent your unit before his landlord files for an eviction, or before that eviction shows up on screening reports. Another way to catch the applicant in a lie is to order the Previous Address Tenant History report. Check the addresses listed on the application against the verifiable addresses and dates from the PATH report to uncover discrepancies. Landlord references aren’t the whole story. Valid, current, emergency contact information is crucial to collection efforts, especially now when so many tenants are moving in with family members to save money. If you are shy about calling references, consider hiring a property manager. You’ll save money in the long run when you don’t rent to the tenant from hell. “I’ve always said that tenant debt collection begins when you meet the tenant,” Gray continues. “You don’t want to be trying to collect debt from a complete stranger.” See our feature, The Previous Address Tenant History. [...]

By: AAOA - American Apartment Owners Association » Insider Secrets for Getting the Best Tenant Credit Reports

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:53:16 +0000

[...] To set up an inspection, contact AAOA customer service at 866-579-AAOA (2262) Click here to learn more about tenant screening, including a list of what types of reports are available [...]

By: AAOA - American Apartment Owners Association » Avoid This Tenant Debt Collection Nightmare

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:05:41 +0000

[...] What screening reports and cross-checks (criminal history, credit, and previous address history) were used? Click here for information on the P.A.T.H. Report. [...]

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:10:44 +0000

[...] The only information that can distinguish a person on a criminal report is full legal name (See What’s in a Name), a full and accurate date of birth, and accurate address information (See Previous Address Tenant History). [...]

By: IS YOUR LEASE APPLICATION FALLING SHORT?

IS YOUR LEASE APPLICATION FALLING SHORT? — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:06:56 +0000

[...] Previous Address history gives you the basis for deciding which criminal databases to search, allows you to cross-check against the PATH report and other information provided to avoid fraud, and gives you current and previous landlord information for references. [...]