Along with an initial review of a prospective tenant’s application, the interview is an important part of the evaluation process. Unless you’re using third-party property management in San Diego, you’ll need to prepare for this interview yourself. Create a list of questions that you’ll ask each prospective tenant.
Table of Contents
1. Why Are You Moving Out of Your Current Rental?
There are many reasons an applicant might be moving out of their current rental. They might want to shorten their commute for work, they might be planning for a change in their family, or there might have been a significant rent increase. Asking this question will help you determine whether they will be a good fit for you as a new tenant.
You will also want to make sure they aren’t moving due to financial difficulties. If there’s a reason they can no longer afford their current rental, such as a job loss, take that as a red flag. Since you should be charging competitive rental rates, they probably won’t be able to afford your rental property either.
2. How Many People Will Be Moving with You?
Allowing too many people to occupy a rental unit can present a legal problem for you as a property owner.
Currently, the California Rental Housing Association shares that the state’s law requires “reasonable” occupancy limits. While this is somewhat vague, a reasonable limit is generally understood to mean two occupants per bedroom and one additional tenant.
For a two-bedroom apartment, this means you can allow a maximum of five occupants. While you’re not required to permit the maximum number of occupants, you can’t legally allow more than five people to reside in the rental unit.
3. Do You Have Pets?
If you look after your rental units without the help of third-party property management in San Diego, it’s especially important to minimize damage as much as possible.
Since you won’t have a professional property manager’s resources, it will cost more to keep up with maintenance and repairs. Remember this when you decide whether to allow a potential tenant to have pets.
The opposite side of this coin is that your units will be easier to rent if they are pet-friendly. You can allow pets and mitigate the cost of damages by charging a nonrefundable pet deposit. Many landlords charge an additional $10 or $50 per month as pet rent. A good San Diego Property Management Company can also provide you with a “Good Pet Guarantee” to cover additional pet damages.
4. What Kind of Work Do You Do?
Aside from making sure your prospective tenant can afford to rent your unit, you’ll also want to determine whether their job will become a nuisance to you or the other tenants.
For instance, a tenant who is a musician should practice their craft during daylight hours. Otherwise, noise late in the evening or too early in the morning can chase away your other tenants.
You will also want to find out whether their work is destructive. Someone who refurbishes antique furniture should have a separate, off-site work studio. Otherwise, paint, sanders, and other tools could cause costly damage to your property.
Even if a prospective tenant assures you that they are responsible, be aware that accidents do happen.
5. Will You Consent to Background Checks Conducted by Third-Party Property Management in San Diego?
For each prospective tenant, you should conduct a general background check, an employment verification, and a credit check. Each of these searches will help you verify that the prospective tenant will be a good risk.
While you can’t predict what will happen in the future, conducting thorough checks will help you evaluate an individual as a tenant.
If you’re unsure about how to conduct these checks, a property management firm can help you. Often, you can use these services for a minor fee and pass that cost off to prospective tenants in the application fee. Conducting background checks will give you and your other tenants peace of mind when someone new moves into the property.
Your Instincts Matter as Much as the Tenant’s Responses
When you ask screening questions, pay attention to changes in the applicant’s demeanor and notice how they respond. Body language, verbal hesitation, and other cues can help you gather a better impression of a potential tenant. If you get a bad feeling, it’s better to trust your instincts and move on to a different applicant.