Landlord Newsletter - Careful Tenant Screening

How often do we rent a home to someone we know very little about? We do the best we can by verifying their rental references and checking their credit report, but unfortunately, most landlords do not take all the necessary steps in screening new prospects.

In this newsletter I am including a free copy of The LPA's Criminal Background Release form. This form, along with other LPA screening forms like:

• Tenant Finder Pre-Screening Telephone Worksheet
• LPA Rental Application
• Landlord Reference Qualifier
• Tenant Finder Qualifying Chart

In this newsletter:

• Do you practice Careful Tenant Screening?
  
• Free Criminal Background Release Form
  
• Reporting to Credit and Tenant Bureaus
  
• Ask the Real Estate Attorney, John Reno
  
• Landlord Coalition - Fighting City Hall
• Wealth Secrets and Quotes
  

Please e-mail us if you have any questions or would like to add or share any material / information. Thank you for your support! Have a great week!
John Nuzzolese
John@theLPA.com

"Not everyone understands the "Win-Win" philosophy.
Part of my purpose is to help people understand it... because I just don't do any other kind of deal!"- John Nuzzolese

From the time of first contact with the prospective tenant to the time you sign a lease with him or her, you are still in the tenant screening process. Keeping in mind The LPA article, How to Screen and Qualify Tenants in 5 Easy Steps, it is very important to decide beforehand that you WILL NOT accept anyone who does not meet ALL of your screening requirements.

Often, landlords overlook certain "red flags" that indicate the prospect is NOT qualified to rent from you. It could be a sign of the tenant's financial stability, personal habits, respect or attitude toward the landlord. The important thing I'm saying here is, do your homework.

What are your screening requirements? It's important not to forget some of the key ingredients when screening a tenant.

• Rental Application
  A fully completed and signed LPA Rental Application.
• Identification.
  Be sure you get a copy of the applicant's drivers license or other valid picture ID. Is it possible that a deadbeat would use someone else's identity and credit to get accepted as your tenant? You bet. It happened to me!
• A Non-Refundable Deposit.
  A serious applicant will have no problem leaving a substantial non-refundable earnest money deposit with you to secure the rental...

click for the full article...

The fact that the tenant has nothing to hide and is willing to release credit and criminal (if any) history to you shows good faith and cooperation in the screening process.

This form should be used in addition to the LPA Rental Application.

FREE DOWNLOAD The Criminal Background Authorization & Release Form

Have you ever been beaten by a tenant on the rent? Most of us have and unfortunately, it is one of the costs of doing business as a landlord.
On the brighter side, remedies are available for many. If you have documented your tenancy with the proper paperwork including a rental application, lease agreement, late notices, etc., you may have a chance of collecting.

Credit bureau reporting is an option in which many modern landlords are beginning to participate.

The LPA recommends tenant and credit reporting to our members.As landlords ourselves, we do not believe tenants should get away "Scott Free" for leaving their landlord with a mess of unpaid rent, damages and other unpaid responsibilities. The prospect of reporting delinquent rent onto the tenant's credit record creates an incentive for the tenant to preserve his good credit, or to clean it up in order to some day qualify for a loan or mortgage.

A delinquent landlord debt is a serious mark against a consumer tenant's credit report for seven years and will likely:

The LPA's other reporting options

For The LPA's Tenant Reporting, click here

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Ask the Attorney

John Reno, Esq., is a highly experienced Landlord attorney on LI, NY. He answers landlord tenant questions of members of The Landlord Protection Agency®.

Mr. Reno also does Mortgage Loan Modifications (Nationwide).
(Mention The LPA for a 10% discount!)

Dear Mr. Reno:
I have a home I rented to a single female officer an she's leaving this sat. Being transfered from one base to another in Nevada. No notice I have damages an owed aprox. 2000.00 . What should I do ? Is there standards an officer has to follow and can I do anything besides a lawsuit? She's active duty.
Everett

A: I have heard that if you got a judgment against a military person, the military mandates that they pay it, but you still have to start in small claims court.

If you have a landlord - tenant problem you'd like to ask a question about, please feel free to e-mail me your question.
Submit a landlord / tenant question for Mr. Reno
Please try to keep your questions as short and to the point as possible.

Read more from John Reno, Eviction Attorney

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The Coalition of Landlords, Homeowners and Merchants

"Freedom and property rights are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other" - George Washington

The Coalition is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and advancing the principles of a free and democratic society. Our concerns extend to constitutional government, personal liberties, private property, and individual responsibility. We sincerely believe that "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance" and we have committed ourselves to being ever vigilant and watchful.

Our mission is to provide assistance to landlords, merchants and residential property owners so to aid in their defense of alleged violations of housing standards, ordinances, and statutes, and to provide a registry of legal counsel in support of the same who can further assist in the acquisition, transfer and foreclosure of real property as well as anything incidental and in furtherance of the above to help our members.

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Wealth Secrets and Quotes

"It is better to have NO tenant than it is to have a bad tenant." - John Nuzzolese

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. - Wayne Dyer

"People with goals succeed because they know where they are going... It's as simple as that." - Earl Nightingale

"Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears." - Les Brown

"One of my biggest fears is having a tenant with more landlord - tenant knowledge and expertise than I have." - John Nuzzolese

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FREE LPA Gift with Book Purchase! Fellow LPA Member, Dr. Danielle Babb is a national real estate expert and author of the new Landlording Book, "The Accidental Landlord".

Get your copy now... with a FREE BONUS! from theLPA.com

Not only is Danielle Babb our county's most knowledgeable real estate analyst, she's also an LPA member!

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Did You Know...?
If you ordered any LPA forms in the past 60 days, the LPA will credit back to you the cost of those orders when you email us your new LPA Membership order #.

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*Your Membership Expired? No Problem!


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If you haven't already, please take the opportunity to sign up for The LPA's Quick Check Credit Reports! Quick Check is a simple, fast way to access online credit reports while saving you money!