5 Steps to Know a Good Tenant
Are you looking to rent? And would you let someone you know nothing about live in your 6 million rental apartment with 250,000 CZK worth of amenities? If so, it may not turn out well at all. The Czech Republic has long been one of the countries where landlords are shy about asking prospective tenants for detailed personal information. But background checking the prospect is the key to success.
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How to choose a quality tenant?
To ensure that the whole tenant selection process doesn't fail sooner or later, you need to follow the motto trust but verify. Just as an employer screens his or her incoming employee, you should only let someone who passes the "selection process" into your property.
1. Check the prospective tenant's records
Do you want the tenant to pay you? First, check the debt, foreclosure and insolvency registers. To check, you will need to know at least the name, surname, birth number and permanent address of the applicant.
2. Arrange insurance with the prospective buyer
As we have already mentioned, damage to the apartment and its furnishings is such a nightmare for some owners that they prefer not to rent. A flooded apartment because the tenant's bathtub overflowed? A cracked window that his kids threw a ball through? A broken TV because a cat knocked it over? However, if the tenant has liability insurance covering damage to the landlord's property, you can sleep easy - the insurance company will cover the damage. Liability insurance is a very effective and inexpensive product.
3. Get references from previous landlords
To get a better idea of how the tenant will behave in the apartment, ask the prospective tenant for a reference from the previous owner. Employers also call the applicant's former supervisors for references to verify the reasons for leaving and how the companies experience with the employee. Do this for yourself as well.
4. Ask about the reason for the move and about their job
Ask about the reasons for the move. Ask why the applicant is leaving his/her current accommodation, what is his/her living situation. Your employment may also give you a clue. But at the same time, don't judge a person just on the basis of their profession. Whether someone is a lawyer or a salesperson does not tell you anything about how they clean their home. Above all, it's about checking that the person is on a stable income.
5. Focus on communication and first impression
You can tell how much you can rely on a tenant by simple things like punctuality, answering messages on time, or making an appointment. If it's difficult to get in touch and agree something, what will the communication be like when a problem needs to be addressed? But be careful about first impressions. Sympathy does not always mean reliability.
How to deal with a prospective buyer?
A tour is not just about showing the prospective buyer around the apartment and showing them the different rooms. During the tour, you should find out how serious his interest is and whether he could be an ideal tenant. In addition to the reason for moving or asking about employment, you should, for example, ask how many people will be living in the apartment. The amount of fees and deposits will depend on this.
If, on the other hand, the prospective tenant asks, you should not conceal any things or shortcomings of the apartment. You would be working against yourself and risk the tenant giving notice. Therefore, inform the applicant truthfully about everything that interests him.
But before you start meeting prospective tenants, be sure to prepare the apartment or house for viewing
