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

In Woodbridge, our management staff prefers to deal with reliable tenants. Here are some of the traits we look for.

1. A tenant pays the rent on time every month. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
2. A renter has integrity. A renter does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
3. A renter is fastidious. A renter does not attract pests such as rodents and bugs.
4. A tenant does not destroy the property.
5. A tenant is courteous and easy to work with. A tenant understands 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 landlords money and cause issues for property managers.
8. A renter doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a renter doesn't ask to upgrade functioning systems. A renter 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 rental.
10. A tenant is looking for a lease that is as long as the property owner wants to rent the rental.

So this is what we're looking for in a renter, but how do we find tenants who measure up to this standard? 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 tardy tenants.