Vetting Tenants — How we protect the landlord’s interests.

In Falls Church Inventory, our team likes to deal with dependable renters. Here are a few of the traits we expect.

1. A renter pays the rent on time every time. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
2. A tenant has integrity. A tenant does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
3. A renter is fussy about cleanliness. A renter does not bring pests like rodents and bugs.
4. A tenant does not misuse the property.
5. A renter is courteous and nice to get along with. A renter knows the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
6. A tenant doesn't bother neighbors.
7. A renter complains at appropriate times. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost property owners money and cause issues for property managers.
8. A renter doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't demand to replace functioning systems. A tenant doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A renter doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the tenant doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
9. A tenant does not smoke in the property.
10. A renter is looking for a rental term that is as long as the real estate investor wants to rent the rental.

So this is what we're looking for in a tenant, but how do we find tenants who measure up to this ideal? Experience has taught us that tardy renters can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a nose for sniffing out bad tenants.