tenant history

Finding good renters is not a very easy task, but this is where a rental application can be useful. When you ask all the right questions on such an application, you can easily sort out the best tenants and all the possible grounds for rejecting all those who never satisfy your criteria. These are some of the top questions that all kinds of rental agreement template applications need to have. 

Can you share your personal information?

There needs to be questions about personal information in each rental application. Each potential tenant needs to mention information such as the full legal name, email id, phone number and current address of the renter. You have to confirm the basic details with a complete check of the background. When you review rental applications, fraudulent or invalid information must be checked. Keep in mind that when a renter lives in your property with fraudulent details, it can put you in a fix over the long term. If he or she commits a crime or gets into legal problems, you are likely to have a hard time explaining your situation to the authorities. Proving your innocence can be a big problem in such cases. 

What is the Lease date?

You have to pose questions related to the start date of the lease, and ask the applicant regarding the kind of lease that they prefer. It is important to know whether the applicant is actually interested in a month-to-month or a 1-year rental lease agreement. Your business could be affected by the variation between a rental and a lease agreement. Generally, a lease contract is for 6 to 12 months, whereas rental contracts are monthly in form. That being mentioned, leases are generally better in case you are in search of long-term and stable tenant. If you are in search of temporary supplemental income or flexibility, month-to-month contracts can be a much better option for you. 

How many occupants would be there?

The rental application needs to have a question regarding who would stay in the property. You have to give space to your potential renter, for responding to the names of all applicants as well as any other person who would stay in the property. You have to know each occupant in your property as well as the supportive papers for every renter. It is particularly useful for roommates who are not related, such as college renters, random roommates, friends and couples. 

You have to know exactly how many individuals would be staying in your rental property. Each of your renters needs to sign the lease contract. In case a renter is not listed on the contract, there could be questions regarding the need for a legal obligation for anybody that the agreement does not include. For example, this indicates that for anybody who stays without a written agreement, you cannot enforce lease terms or rent payment. 

Short Questions Guide

• Do you currently rent? If so, where?
• What date are you planning to move out of your current home?
• What date are you planning to move into a new home?
• Why are you moving at this time?
• What do you like about your current home?
• What are you looking for in a new home?
• Do you have a pet?
• How many pets do you have?
• What size(s) is/are your pet(s)?
• What breed(s) is/are your pet(s)?
• Is your pet housebroken?
• Does your pet have any behavioral or medical problems?
• Does your pet get along with others, including children and other animals?
• Who will care for your pet if you are out of town?
• Are you aware of our pet deposit / pet rent charges and are you willing to abide by them?
• How long have you lived in your current home?
• Have you ever broken a lease agreement?
• Have you ever been evicted?
• Does your current landlord know you are planning to move?
• Can I ask for a reference from your current or former landlord?
• How many people will be living in the unit?
• How many parking spaces will you require if you live here?
• Will everyone living with you be able to pass a criminal background check?
• Do you or anyone living with you smoke?
• You will be responsible for the lawn and landscaping. Do you have any questions about that?
• You will be subject to the HOA rules for the neighborhood. Do you have any questions about them?
• You and your visitors will be subject to the community’s parking-related rules. Do you have any questions about them?
• Do you have frequent overnight guests?
• Do you work nights or odd hours?

Can you tell me your tenant history?

You have to check whether the renter respected the property that he was in, as a tenant. You must also know how the level of communication between the renter and his / her landlord was. Did the renter ever miss any payment, and did he ever violate any of the rental policies? These are some important questions that you need to ask, before you approve a tenant. Your rental agreement in California must mention this.