Three Ways Tenant Screening Protects Your Community by Lisa Wells
Reviewing the criminal and credit background of prospective renters online is one of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce potential crime, property damage and other rental-related issues within your neighborhood. So with web-based tenant screening resources readily available, why don't more landlords conduct applicant background checks before renting out their property?
The unfortunate answer is most individual property owners don't know they can legally and easily review a prospective renter's criminal and credit background before making a leasing decision. That's why we're asking for your help to educate local homeowners by sharing the top Three Ways Tenant Screening Improves Your Neighborhood.
1. Improve Neighborhood Safety: Know Your New Neighbor
The old adage "You can't judge a book by its' cover" still stands true. Stories abound of the "guy next door" who surprised everyone with their unknown past or illicit actions. As more people move across the country for work, family and other reasons, personal referrals are harder to verify and are challenging to complete. Unfortunately, though, criminals also have a habit of moving to leave behind their past.
With online tenant verification services such as http://www.landlord2landlord.com/, you can instantly verify the individual is who they say they are, and also check county courthouse records, state and national criminal databases [including sex offender registries] to see if they have a criminal record. We offer individual credit reports and eviction records too.
2. Protect Neighborhood Appearance, Property Value and Your Investment
Tenant screening adds a layer of risk management for property owners by offering a financial snapshot of your prospective renter. Most landlords spend less than $45 to check an applicant's background at http://www.landlord2landlord.com/ before making a leasing decision, which is FAR less than a property owner might lose in unpaid rent and property damages. Landlords typically pass this cost on to the prospective tenant as a rental application fee. And, in the event that a renter does fail to pay on a timely basis, Landlord2Landlord also offers collection and bad debt reporting services to help ensure the fraudster doesn't get away scott-free.
3. Build a Better Sense of Community: Reduce Rental Turnover
When you use an online tenant screening service to evaluate prospective renters, you reduce the odds of having to replace that renter sooner than expected, which lowers the amount of work you have to do to manage your rental property. In turn, fewer people will be moving in and out of the neighborhood, giving everyone a better chance to get to know each other and grow as a community.
Check Your Renters' Criminal and Credit Background Today!
The overall positive impact of tenant screening has led a growing number of homeowner and neighborhood associations to enact rules requiring background checks on renters within the community. Whether you are considering this option or not, Landlord2Landlord considers it a privilege to assist you in making your neighborhood a safer place.
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About Landlord2Landlord
Landlord2Landlord (http://www.landlord2landlord.com/) is a residential tenant screening company that partners with property management companies and homeowner associations to help communities reduce neighborhood crime, and to protect homeowners from renters with criminal backgrounds or a history of evictions and poor credit.
Our website is easy to use, available 24 hours per day, and delivers instant, inexpensive results that comply with FCRA and Fair Housing Act requirements. See our Success Stories at http://www.landlord2landlord.com/SuccessStories2.aspx.
We also have a free monthly e-newsletter that contains information to help homeowners maintain and lease their residential properties more effectively. To receive the e-newsletter, please visit http://www.landlord2landlord.com/ezinesignup.aspx.