In Guide
17 Important Questions You Need To Ask Potential Tenants
Mi Property Portal
December 31, 2022 - 3 min readScreening potential tenants is an essential part of the landlord-tenant relationship. Everything from criminal background checks to credit scores can help you determine whether your tenant will pay rent on time, take good care of the property and be respectful towards you, their neighbours, and the community.
With every new apartment rental, there are certain questions that you need to ask as a landlord. Listed below are some of the questions to ask potential tenants in Canada. These inquiries provide the information necessary to avoid unpleasant surprises in the future.
As a landlord, you must be sure that the new tenant you accept has a valid reason to move. There are numerous reasons why someone may wish to relocate. Knowing a little about the person you will be doing business with is essential. As an owner of a property, I want to know that the person will take care of my property, pay the rent on time, and not destroy the inside or outside structure/appearance of the property, etc.
- Where do you now reside if you rent?
- How long have you resided in your current residence?
- Is Your Current Landlord Aware That You Are Moving, and May I Contact Your Current/Previous Landlords?
- Why are you looking for a new location?
Some crucial aspects like credit history and income, some other details that could make or break your investment. It’s never a good feeling to evict someone who has been a bad tenant, but it’s even worse when they’ve made lots of damage that will cost thousands of dollars in repairs.
- When would you like to move in?
- How Many People Will Live In This Apartment?
- How many people in your household smoke?
- How many parking spaces would you need to rent this property?
- Do you own any animals? If yes, then how many?
When it comes to renting a home, a variety of issues can come up. The most common issues are regarding income and credit. What questions can a landlord ask to understand the potential tenants’ financial status?
- What type of work do you perform? What is an approximation of your income?
- How is Your Credit Score Calculated?
- Will You Permit A Credit And Background Check?
- Exist any concerns I should be aware of prior to conducting a background check on every adult in the household?
Questions also help your renter realize that you are concerned about their capacity to make timely rent payments, maintain the property well and be a good neighbour. An essential aspect of asking prospective tenants about the rental application process is ensuring that the Tenant Questionnaire form is filled out correctly.
- Have You Previously Been Evicted?
- Are you willing and able to pay the security deposit following the execution of the lease?
- Are you ready to commit to a one-year lease?
- Do you have any inquiries regarding the procedure?
The tenant pre-screening form can be given in pdf format to make the process easy. I hope this list will help you consider the various issues landlords may encounter in Ontario. When you run into trouble with a tenant, or question their motives or commitment, provide the best service to the tenant and always keep the interests of your business first. A landlord can have various questions to ask potential tenants, and a good tenant will appreciate how thorough you are and want to work with you long-term.