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

In Chester Gap, our team likes to deal with dependable tenants. Here are some of the traits we look for.

1. A renter pays the rent when due 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 tenant is fussy about cleanliness. A renter does not bring pests like rodents and bugs.
4. A tenant does not destroy the home.
5. A renter is courteous and pleasant to get along with. A tenant understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
6. A renter doesn't annoy neighbors.
7. A renter reports problems at appropriate times. tenants that don't report maintenance issues cost property owners money and cause head-aches for property managers.
8. A tenant doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't ask to replace 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 renter does not smoke in the rental.
10. A tenant is looking for a lease that is as long as the landlord wants to rent the property.

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 bad renters can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a nose for sniffing out tardy renters.