It was 1988 and I had just purchased my first rental property. A good friend who was already in the business told me to make sure I do a background check on anyone who wants to rent from me. I was like every other new landlord, I thought I knew everything I needed to know. I told my friend that doing a background check on a prospective tenant was just an extra expense and I didn’t want to spend the money.

My first application was from a couple with one small child. They seemed nice enough, so I rented to them. Four months later they skipped out owing me $1,100.00 in past due rent and there was $1,400.00 damage to the property. The roaches were so bad that I had to treat the house four times for bugs. They left behind eight truckloads of trash and belongings.

When the ordeal was over, I spent the money to have a background check done on them. Turned out that they had a long history of landlord evictions and judgments for damage to rental property. That was my first experience with what the industry calls a “professional tenant”.

The term “professional tenant”, has been used for years to describe a person who is in the business of defrauding landlords. Typically they target the “little guy” with only a few properties. They tend to stay away from big companies who own large apartment complexes and have a pool of lawyers.

When you have a person come to you about renting one of your properties, the first thing you should do is tell then there is a $20.00 application fee. Tell them it is for a credit check; don’t use the term background check. Some will choose right then and there not to fill out an application, fearing that you will find out about them. BUT, you would be surprised by how many dirt bags will go ahead with the application and dare you to find something. The reason they do that is that they are banking on the chance that you will just pocket the application fee and not really do the background check.

If you feel bad about asking for the $20.00, just tell them that they will get the fee returned if you decide to rent to them. I do not refund the fee.

Now it’s Time to Do Something Really Smart.

Take the $20.00 and contact the fine folks at E-Renter or The Landlord Protection Agency and have them do a background check on your prospective new tenants. By doing this you will avoid a possible disaster. If you do not get a favorable background check, simply tell them that they were not accepted.

Keep in mind, if you do not rent to them, you must tell them why. Just tell them you received an unfavorable background check from E-Renter or TLPA. It is up to them to contact the agency; their argument is not with you. If you want, you can give them a copy of the report, after all, they paid for it. I always give them a copy if they ask. Tell them you are sorry and send them on their way. After they are gone, count your blessings that you were smart enough to check-up on them.

There you have it. Don’t be a tightwad! Spend the $20.00 and get the report. Heck, the tenant is paying for it anyway.

For more about tenant relations and evictions, visit us at www.evictabadtenant.com.

Author Bio: Bruce Kitts has been a landlord for more than 22 years. In that time he has handled all of his tenant evicitions himself and has never lost a case. He has also collected all monies owed to him by deadbeat tenants. Mr. Kitts is not an attorney. Visit us at, Tenant-Background-Check

Category: Real Estate
Keywords: evict-a-tenant, evict-a-renter, collecting-from-a-tenant, deadbeat-tenants