How to Find a Good Tenant: Practical Tips for Property Managers and Owners

If you are a landlord or property manager, you know how much work it is to find a good tenant for a vacant unit!

You want tenants who are reliable and respectful to avoid missed payments, neighbor complaints, and disturbances in the unit.

A strong tenant screening process is essential to ensure a smooth rental experience and long-term tenant retention. Here are some practical tips to help you select the right tenants and protect your investment.

Selection criteria to consider when choosing a future tenant

First, you need to have an idea of who your ideal tenant is. What makes a good tenant? The description may vary from one landlord or manager to another, but generally, it can be agreed that it is someone who:

takes care of their accommodation;
is respectful of the neighborhood;
pays their rent on time.

To achieve this, we invite you to create a list of selection criteria that you will consider when the time comes to make your choice. Here are some examples of criteria to consider:

Financial stability
Good reference
Responsible and proactive attitude
Good communication
Respectful attitude
Compatibility of this person with the neighbors

Your selection criteria will help you evaluate the people interested in the advertised accommodations and determine the type of tenant you want to attract.

Best Strategies for Screening and Selecting the Right Tenants for Your Rental Property

The costs associated with renting out a property and selecting tenants can be considerable in property management. Think of the time spent answering phone calls and emails, conducting visits, and conducting credit checks, for example. That’s why it’s important to screen potential tenants.

Here are some tips to help you do this.

Advertise vacant properties quickly

To maximize your chances of finding reliable tenants for your property, it’s important to proactive in managing lease renewals.

Try sending out your renewal notices by January 1st to collect responses from your tenants as soon as possible. This way, you’ll have more time to advertise vacant properties and find reliable tenants.

Make sure to create a quality advertisement that will attract serious tenants. For more tips on renting out, read our article «Apartment Rental Tips» .

Use sorting tools (tenant survey, credit check, file verification, etc.)

It’s essential to use screening tools such as tenant background checks and credit checks (credit reports). You can also verify criminal records during the pre-rental screening.

This will help you find a solvent tenant who will be respectful of your property and pay their rent on time. This way, you can make an informed decision.

Check judgments from the Housing Board (Administrative Tribunal)

You can get an idea of the past of your potential tenants by checking judgments from the Housing Board. You will have access to archives of all judgments rendered following an appeal filed by a prospective tenant or their landlord.

Ask for references

You can ask for references to assess the reliability and credibility of a potential tenant. This will also give you an idea of their behavior as a tenant. These references can come from former landlords or employers.

Conduct interviews with your future tenants

Make sure to get a feel for the person by taking the time to talk to them yourself. This can be done during the apartment visit. Take the time to ask them a few questions that will help you get to know them. Here are some examples:

Why do you want to rent this apartment?
Have you ever rented an apartment before?
Do you have any pets?
What is your lifestyle like?

This will allow you to check that the person is compatible with the neighborhood and that they are genuinely interested in the apartment for rent. In a housing shortage context, some people may jump at the first available apartment and move out the following year. This is not ideal.

However, it is obviously illegal to discriminate against a potential tenant. Discriminatory reasons include gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic origin, language, disability, etc.

Be transparent with potential tenants

Transparency is key in finding good tenants for your property. Be clear and precise about your expectations. A lease agreement will be useful to you. It will help you avoid misunderstandings about the conditions of occupancy of the accommodation and any resulting conflicts.

Use property management software

Hopem software allows you to create the «List of rental properties» report. This is a powerful report that will allow you to select a multitude of criteria including the number of rooms, the amount of rent, the type of accommodation, and special features. In just a few clicks, you will be able to generate a list of units that best meet the needs of your potential tenant.

Avoid these mistakes to avoid attracting bad tenants

Here are some mistakes to avoid in order to attract and retain reliable tenants in property rental:

Not checking the background and financial solvency of the potential tenant. This would increase the risks of non-payment of rent or damage to the property.
Not setting clear selection criteria for potential tenants. You could end up signing a lease with a bad tenant.
Not establishing a solid lease agreement to protect your interests as a landlord. Lease conditions, tenant obligations, and early departure conditions should be clearly and precisely stated.
Not communicating clearly. Avoid giving inaccurate or incomplete information about the property, property rules, or rental conditions.
Not responding promptly to repair requests. Delays in repairs can frustrate tenants and affect their rental experience.

Finding the perfect tenant is a way to simplify the rental management of your rental properties. Indeed, responsible tenants will help you keep beautiful accommodations by quickly alerting you to repairs needed, they will be respectful of the neighborhood, and they will pay their rent on time.