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

In Timberville, our team likes to work with reasonable renters. Here are a few of the traits we expect.

1. A good renter 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 good renter has integrity. A good renter does not sneak in a co-tenant or pet.
3. A good renter is neat. A trustworthy tenant does not attract pests such as rodents and bugs.
4. A great tenant does not break systems.
5. A good tenant is courteous and easy to get along with. An ideal tenant knows the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
6. An ideal tenant doesn't annoy neighbors.
7. A good tenant reports problems at appropriate times. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost property owners money and cause issues for property managers.
8. A trustworthy renter doesn't complain when it's not appropriate. This means that an ideal renter doesn't ask to replace functioning systems. A good renter doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A great tenant doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the renter doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
9. A desirable tenant does not smoke in the property.
10. A desirable tenant is looking for a lease that is as long as the landlord wants to rent the rental.

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