The Most Important Questions to Ask Tenant References

The tenant screening process is vital to your success as a landlord. After all, the more you know about a potential tenant, the better. You want to place someone in your Phoenix, AZ rental who has a steady income, can follow the rules, and will care for your property as though it were their own.

One of the key aspects of tenant screening is checking references. This includes personal, professional, and housing-related references. Doing this can give you insight into the type of person your interested candidate is. But knowing what to ask can be tricky.

If you want to improve your reference checking skills and screen for higher-quality tenants in Phoenix, keep reading. We’ve rounded up the top questions to ask your tenant’s references.

How to Perform Tenant Reference Checks

When it comes to checking the references of a potential tenant, there are some simple steps to follow. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be able to better screen tenant references, gather the right information, and save yourself a lot of hassle.

Best Questions to Ask Tenant References

You should always require that potential tenants provide previous landlord information and both personal and professional references. From there, you should ask each type of reference a specific set of questions so you can get an idea of what type of renter your tenant might be.

Questions to Ask Previous Landlords

Speaking with previous landlords is one of the most important things you can do before placing a tenant in your Phoenix, AZ rental property. Talking to a landlord that dealt with your prospective tenant will help you determine whether the tenant will be a good fit for your property.

Here are the best things to ask your would-be tenants’ previous landlords:

Other good things to ask include:

Questions to Ask Employer References

Another reference to check in with is your potential tenant’s employer. You want to make sure your tenant earns enough income to cover the rent with ease. Plus, an employer will be able to provide insight into the type of person your tenant is.

Here are the best things to ask the employer references:

Another thing you can do is reach out to the HR department of your would-be tenant’s employer to double-check the information you collect. You never know the type of relationship your tenant has with their employer. While it’s nice to hope an employer wouldn’t embellish the details to help a friend out, it’s best to do your due diligence and make sure.

Questions to Ask Personal References

If you really want to get to know the kind of person your tenant is, you’ll talk to their personal references. Though there will be some element of bias – no one will provide a bad personal reference – it’s still a good idea to talk to them.

Here are the best things to ask your prospective tenant’s personal references:

Other good things to ask include:

When to Deny a Tenant Based on Reference Answers

The whole point of screening prospective tenants is to decide whether to lease your Phoenix, AZ rental to them or not. Avoiding problem tenants will help you save time, money, and a lot of headaches.

Here are some reasons to deny a rental applicant based on the reference check you perform:

Lastly, if you cannot get in contact with your would-be tenant’s references, it’s best to move on. Your property is a valuable asset. You should not risk it by taking a gamble on a tenant with no credible references.

Are you in need of a reputable property management company? If so, contact us today and see how we can help you with tenant screening, including reference checks.

At Brewer & Stratton, we understand the importance of reducing costs and earning the highest ROI possible. Because of this, we implement strict screening processes to ensure the highest quality tenants are being placed in your Phoenix, AZ rental property.

Take a load off and let us do all the heavy lifting for you. We can screen tenants, show your property, draft leases, and so much more. Add in the fact that we have a 12-Month Tenant Guarantee Program, and you can trust that both you and your property will be well cared for at all times.