Background Check

When people say background check they’re generally referring to basic information about a person’s past such as anything available in public records. This includes past addresses, criminal offenses, and personal identification like date of birth and SSN. But there’s a difference between background checks and verifications.

Verifications could mean employment verification or education verification whereas the term background check covers a broader spectrum. Depending on the requested information for a candidate, a background check could include verifications, such as highest academic degree or certification and past employers. The information included in a background check will depend on whether it’s relevant to the request. For example, an employment background check could include:

• Criminal record checks
• Driving record checks
• Drug testing
• Employment history verification
• Reference checks

These record checks and verifications will differ for tenant screening and volunteer background checks where certain information becomes more relevant than others.

Investigative Background Check

An investigative background check is more intensive than a basic screening. Instead of checking information in databases, this type of verification could include interviews with neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends. They uncover the candidate’s personal character and reputation in addition to finding and analyzing his or her public records. These reports usually don’t include credit history because the FCRA distinguishes reports on personal character from credit reports.

Credit Check

A consumer credit report will include a candidate’s debt levels and repayment history. This information already exists for most individuals and is maintained by credit bureaus. According to federal law, anyone can request this information about themselves once a year. A consumer credit report is relevant for people who want to buy a house or take out a significant loan.

In order to get the best results if you’re conducting a background check on a candidate, you need to know what you’re looking for and what information is relevant. If you have any questions regarding background checks and verifications, feel free to contact us!

The post What Are The Different Types Of Background Checks? appeared first on JDP.

If you are looking to rent a new house or apartment, you may be asked, as part of the application process, to submit to a background and credit check.  We are here to let you know what goes on behind the scenes when landlords are screening a tenant.

Here is some information that might turn up:

1.       Your Criminal History

Landlords want to make sure that you will be an easygoing and reliable tenant.  Making sure that you do not have a tumultuous background ensures that you will be a good addition to the rental community you are joining.

Landlords will likely not be interested in minor issues such as parking or speeding tickets, so don’t get nervous!  They are just ensuring that you won’t disrupt other tenants and that you are likely to complete your lease without incident. They are searching for someone that is likely to treat their property and other tenants with respect.

If your landlord runs a criminal background check, take it as a good sign!  Other residents have likely gone through the same check.  The community you are about to join is more likely to be a safer place to live!

2.       Your Credit Report

If you are asked to report your income and undergo a credit check, this is because your potential landlord wants to know that you can reliably pay your rent as well as handle the other expenses attached to renting a property.

Your landlord can estimate the true cost of your apartment and house; this includes not only rent, but also utilities, local taxes, parking and other fees.  Just because you have taken into account your rent and deposit may not mean you are financially able to take on the property.  A financial and credit check will allow your landlord to determine if you are a reliable tenant who can take on this financial burden.

Don’t worry!  Just like with background screening checks for job seekers, you are allowed by law to obtain a copy of your credit report to check for errors and to know what your landlord knows!

3.       Your Relationship With Past Landlords

A thorough screening service that your landlord hires will also contact your past landlords and references.   Again, your landlord is not trying to pry into your personal life.  The screening service your landlord hires is only trying to establish that you are a reliable tenant, have respectful habits, and are likely to abide by the terms of your lease.

Landlords that use a reputable screening service do so for your protection as much as theirs.  You can be sure that if you are asked to undergo a background and credit screening that your landlord has high standards for all his tenants, that he or she values safety and respect, and that he or she is proactive when responding to potential issues or problems.

Congratulations on joining a safer and happier community!

Do you have a question about background screenings or the hiring process?  Contact Us.

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1. Your tenants keep breaking the lease or moving out after a short period of time.

You Should Ask: Why are you moving?

Finding out the rationale behind a potential move can help you avoid people who are moving for “trouble” reasons, like getting into fights with neighbors, or those who are simply nomadic. People who are moving to take a new job or who are looking for a bigger space are more likely to stick around than people who had constant roommate spats or who can’t afford the rent.

2. Your tenants lied about how many people would be living there or whether they had a pet.

You Should Ask: What would your (previous landlord/boss/other reference) say about you?

One great way to find out if people are telling the truth is to ask what their reference would say about them – then call the reference, and ask their thoughts. You can compare the answers to ensure that your potential tenant was telling the truth.

3. Your tenants keep paying the rent late or not at all.

You Should Ask: What is your monthly income, and how is it paid?

Some people get paid once a month, others get paid every other week. It’s worth knowing how much a potential tenant makes and when they make it. You can be more sure of getting the rent paid on time when a tenant can clearly afford the monthly rent based on their income. This can also help you identify people who are currently working on contract or doing temp work. While they may not have trouble paying the rent, it’s worth following up with additional questions to make sure they can pay.

4. Your tenants have stopped communicating with you.

You Should Ask: Do you have any questions for me?

A non-communicative tenant isn’t always a problem, but it could mean that they’ll be hesitant to bring problems to you when they arise. By seeing what questions they may have for you, you could be better able to find tenants who will keep a line of communication open with you.

Finding the right tenant for you can involve some work, but it’ll be worth it when you get great tenants who pay the rent on time and obey all the rules you’ve set out. Of course, nothing can replace screening a tenant with a qualified screening service, but these questions can be a great preliminary way to cut out some would-be tenants who might be more trouble than they’re worth.

The post 4 Common Tenant Problems (And How to Avoid Them) appeared first on JDP.

Why are you moving?

Much like in a job interview where an employer asks why a person is leaving their current position, this question can help you suss out a person’s reason for moving. If they spend their time complaining about their awful landlord or tell you all about how they were unfairly evicted, watch out – this could be a sign of troubles down the road.

When do you plan to move?

This question can help you find out two very different pieces of information. If they indicate that they’d like to move “eventually,” they may not be quite ready to take the plunge. They could be exploring their options or simply feeling out a new living situation. Conversely, this question could help you identify people who might not be great at planning – if they want to move in “tomorrow” or “this weekend,” they might not have fully planned out their options. This could be a sign to investigate them further to see if they’re going to be a responsible tenant.

Will you consent to background screening checks?

If you’ve set up a process for screening a tenant, this will be part of your plan anyway. However, asking in advance could help you weed out people who aren’t serious about renting the property or who have red flags in their past. If they turn down a background screening check, it may be time to move on and find another potential tenant.

What is your financial situation?

Knowing how much someone makes and furthermore, if they’re gainfully employed, will give you some insight into whether or not they’ll be able to pay the rent on time. This question can also help uncover any large debts that may keep a person from being able to pay the rent. Ensuring that potential tenants are able to take on the burden of renting your space is critical to a good ongoing relationship.

Finding a tenant doesn’t have to be challenging – finding a good one may be trickier. However, these four questions (along with a background check from a reliable screening service) can help you figure out which candidates may be best for you and your property.

Have any questions for us? Contact us!

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Screening a tenant can help you avoid problem renters

Much like a background screen during the hiring process, screening for tenants can help you determine patterns of negative behavior. While one isolated incident, especially long in the past, may be worth overlooking, a pattern of related incidents could prove disastrous.

For example, if you find that a tenant was arrested for drug use, one time, many years ago, this may be perfectly acceptable to you. However, a person who has been continually arrested might not be the tenant you’re looking for. It’s up to you to determine which incidents you’re willing to accept and which ones send up a red flag for you. However, remember that a person with a pattern of illegal or criminal behavior may not be the best tenant.

Tenant screenings can help you protect your finances

A person with a history of unpaid parking tickets may be just as willing to skip out on rent. Background screening checks can help you dodge these types of tricky situations. For example, if a tenant has ever been evicted, they may not be forthcoming with this information – but a background check will tell you what you need to know.

When you’re a landlord, your money and property is at stake. It’s worth knowing that you’ll have tenants who will pay the rent on time and in full every month. Patterns of negligent financial behavior could mean that a tenant won’t pay rent, putting your finances at risk.

Create safer communities with background screening checks

Whether you own a single property or you have an entire apartment building, creating a safer community can help you find new renters and foster the tenants you have. A background screening can help you determine if you’re inviting safe and reliable tenants into your community.

Again, while some past indiscretions may not prove that somebody is unsafe, a history of problems may put the entire community at risk. Even if you don’t own adjoining properties, everyone appreciates having safe neighbors.

Finding the right tenant for your properties can be challenging. There are many different factors you’ll want to consider before you rent out your space to a new person. By doing due diligence and screening your tenants, you’ll be better able to ensure that your future tenants are safe, responsible and reliable.Contact us!

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Be honest with yourself as well. There is nothing wrong with making a list of what you consider to be ideal tenant attributes. Is it cleanliness? Prompt payment? Do you hate noisy tenants but don’t mind night owls? The more specific you can be about what you dislike and can tolerate, the more likely you will be able to make a match that can suit your needs.

As you search for the perfect tenant for your property, here a few things to keep in mind:

1. Be upfront about any pet policies. If you have a pet policy, put it in your listing. Not only will this save you time, but will save you trouble down the line. Don’t let your lease do all the work. By the time you arrive at the lease signing, your tenant may already have fallen in love with your property or have given up other options to take your offer. This is a recipe for deception.

If you love pets, be upfront about this as well! Pet-friendly places are extremely desirable to many tenants and pet lovers will flock to your listing over others that have more nebulous pet policies. Be forthcoming from the first interaction and you will likely have more luck.

2. Put all costs on the table. Rent is not the only factor a tenant is considering. Let a tenant know if rent included any utilities. Responsible tenants will factor this in when calculating whether or not they can afford your property. If you are posting a bargain rent that does not include any utilities, you may be inadvertently attracting tenants that cannot afford your residence.

Other costs such as deposits, pet fees, and rental insurance should be disclosed at jump street too. Allow your candidates to make the most informed financial decision they can.

3. Let your candidates know you will run a financial and background check. Letting tenants know they will be screened can be a screening process in itself! Shady candidates will see this and run. So put your intentions in your ad and make sure only the most confident candidates are viewing your property.

4.  Follow through on checking references. Checking references through a reputable background company is still the best way to give yourself peace of mind. If you promise to check references, make sure you follow through.  Don’t let a shady tenant call your bluff. Do your homework and make sure you get the tenant you deserve.

5.  Think like a tenant. Most potential tenants are not thinking of how to deceive you. They are thinking of how to make your property into their perfect home. As they tour your property, they may be thinking of painting the walls their favorite color, or the types of parties they could host, or possible roommates they’d like to help them with rent. If you have any policies or preferences regarding these sort of tenant concerns, don’t wait for your tenant to ask. Anticipate your tenants’ needs and make sure you talk about them during your first meeting.

What’s on your tenant-search checklist?  Contact us!

The post How To Find The Right Tenants appeared first on JDP.

By making sure that you’re renting to responsible people, you could help keep your property in great shape – and ensure that you’re able to collect the rent on time. If you’re interested in tenant screening, however, there are some best practices you should follow to make sure you stay on the right side of the law, while still renting to great people:

Make sure you stay within legal boundaries

Laws like the Federal Fair Housing Act prevent discrimination when you’re renting your property. Asking about gender or age is considered discrimination, and could lead to a lawsuit. If you want to ensure that you stay within your legal boundaries as a landlord, make sure you’re familiar with what might be considered discriminatory in your area.

Come up with a process

Writing down a screening process can help you ensure that you have a reliable method for screening each prospective tenant that comes your way. Plus, when you have a checklist, you can make sure that everyone completes the same forms and goes through the same interview process. When you complete each step for each person, you may be less likely to face discrimination charges, if it ever becomes a problem. It also makes it less likely that you’d inadvertently skip a step when screening a tenant and will allow you to fairly compare applicants.

Hire a screening service

While some prospective tenants may be perfectly honest, others might not be. One of the best ways to make sure your tenants are honest and responsible is to hire a screening service. They can run a background check as well as pull credit information to ensure that you have as much information about your prospective tenants as possible. This might turn up information about past evictions, poor credit or a history of skipping out on landlords.

Ask about the truth

If you do find a discrepancy, you may wish to ask about it. Perhaps a prospective tenant was evicted due to one-time medical bills, or was sued for unpaid rent. You may wish to discuss these issues before you turn somebody away. They may have an explanation that’s perfectly reasonable – so consider giving them the chance to “come clean” about any potential issues.

Be consistent in your background screening checks

One of the best ways you can ensure that you’re staying on the right side of the law is to stay consistent. When you are known to always screen tenants with a specific company, ask them the same interview questions, and run the same credit checks, you’ll be far less likely to run into discrimination issues. Plus, when you have a process that you always follow, you’ll be better able to compare potential new tenants.

Screening a tenant is a great way to ensure that you’re getting the right person or people for your rental property. Before you rent out your space, make sure you’ve followed these tips to get the best possible tenants. Contact us to discuss tenant screening!

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