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How to Screen Tenants the Right Way

As a landlord, finding the right tenant is one of the most critical steps in protecting your rental property and ensuring long-term success. A thorough screening process helps you avoid costly issues—like late payments, property damage, or evictions—and instead secures reliable tenants who treat your investment with care.


Whether you’re a first-time landlord or a seasoned property manager, this guide outlines the best practices to screen tenants the right way, legally and effectively.


📝 1. Start with a Solid Rental Application

A comprehensive rental application is the foundation of your screening process. It should gather key details about the prospective tenant’s background.


✅ What to include:

  • Full name, contact info, and SSN (for credit/background checks)

  • Employment and income information

  • Rental history (current and past landlords)

  • Personal references

  • Authorization to run background and credit checks


Tip: Use a standardized application form that complies with local and federal laws (e.g., Fair Housing Act).


💳 2. Run a Credit Check

A tenant’s credit report gives you a snapshot of their financial responsibility.

✅ Look for:

  • Consistent payment history

  • Credit score (typically 620+ is considered safe)

  • Debt-to-income ratio

  • Any bankruptcies, collections, or judgments


Red Flag: Frequent late payments, maxed-out credit cards, or a high amount of unpaid debt may signal risk.

Tools to use: TransUnion SmartMove, Experian Connect, RentPrep, or property management software with built-in screening tools.


🔎 3. Conduct a Criminal Background Check

A criminal check helps ensure safety for the neighborhood and other tenants. Be sure to comply with Fair Housing laws, which prohibit blanket rejections based on criminal history alone.

✅ What to review:

  • Type and severity of offenses

  • Time since conviction

  • Relevance to tenancy (e.g., property damage or violence vs. minor infractions)

Important: Always use the same criteria for every applicant to avoid discrimination claims.


💼 4. Verify Employment and Income

Reliable income is key to consistent rent payments. Most landlords look for a tenant earning at least 2.5–3x the monthly rent.


✅ How to verify:

  • Request recent pay stubs, W-2s, or tax returns

  • Call the employer (with the applicant’s permission) to confirm position and salary

  • For self-employed applicants, ask for bank statements or a CPA letter


🏠 5. Check Rental History

Speaking with previous landlords provides valuable insights into an applicant’s behavior and responsibility as a tenant.


✅ Ask about:

  • On-time payment history

  • Noise complaints or lease violations

  • Property upkeep

  • Whether they’d rent to the tenant again

Red Flag: If they left owing money, caused property damage, or were evicted, proceed with caution.


📞 6. Contact Personal References

While not always telling, personal references can provide character insights—especially if you’re choosing between multiple qualified applicants.


✅ Ask:

  • How long they’ve known the applicant

  • How they handle responsibilities or stressful situations

  • Whether they believe the applicant would be a respectful tenant


⚖️ 7. Stay Compliant with Fair Housing Laws

Federal, state, and local fair housing laws protect renters from discrimination. You cannot deny a tenant based on:

  • Race, color, religion, sex, national origin

  • Disability or familial status

  • Sexual orientation or gender identity (in many states)


✅ Best Practices:

  • Apply the same screening process to every applicant

  • Use objective, documented criteria

  • Keep records of screening decisions


📂 8. Use a Tenant Scoring System (Optional but Effective)

Creating a point-based system can help you evaluate tenants consistently.


✅ Example scoring system:

  • Credit score above 700 = 10 points

  • No evictions = 10 points

  • Income 3x rent = 10 points

  • Clean background check = 10 points

  • Strong landlord reference = 10 points


Set a minimum score threshold (e.g., 40 out of 50) to help guide your decisions.


🔐 9. Trust but Verify—and Protect Yourself

Even if an applicant looks great on paper, trust your gut—but verify with data. Don’t skip any steps. And once you choose a tenant, use a solid lease agreement and consider collecting:

  • First month’s rent

  • Security deposit (as allowed by law)

  • Pet deposit (if applicable)

  • Renters insurance proof


✅ Final Thoughts

Screening tenants the right way isn’t just about avoiding bad renters—it’s about setting your property (and your income) up for long-term success. A great tenant is worth the time and diligence it takes to find them.


By following a consistent, legal, and thorough process, you’ll reduce your risk, protect your investment, and foster a more positive rental experience for everyone involved.


Your NorCal Realtor

M&M Real Estate

BRE Lic# 01938720

Cell: Call/Text 707-330-2324


About Scott Sweeney


SweeneySells

Full Time Realtor 13 Years +

Over 100 Families Served

Top 5% Producing Agent

Buying & Listing Specialist

Contract & Negotiation Ninja

CSUS Business & Marketing Graduate 2006


With quickly serving over a 100 families, Scott Sweeney has become a top 5% producing Realtor in the greater Sacramento area who has helped clients from the Bay Area to South Lake Tahoe. Scott has a Bachelor Of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing from CSUS. His education, and extensive background in the hospitality, marketing, and real estate industries, have helped Scott to become one of the leading, and most sought after agents in the area.


Reach out to SweeneySells today, and take the first step towards your real estate goals!

📞707-330-2324




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