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#1 Sign Someone Will Be A Bad Tenant

Performance Property Real Estate Question

Q: We just finished renovating our new rental property and started accepting tenant applications. One applicant we met seemed nice but kept complaining about their last landlord. When I looked at his background report, it showed that he had been evicted. What do you think we should do? Claire, Jersey City, NJ

A: As a landlord, the 2 biggest potential risks you face from a tenant is 1. Non-payment of rent and 2. Damage to your property. A previous eviction is the #1 sign that someone will be a bad tenant, because it is proof that they were a bad tenant before. I’m not surprised this applicant complained about their last landlord because they obviously weren’t paying their rent. It’s time consuming and expensive to remove a bad tenant after they’ve moved into a property, so it’s wise to never allow a tenant with a history of not paying rent into your property in the first place. Thanks for your question, Claire.
 
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