15 Questions to Ask Potential Renters

By Victoria Robertson on September 23, 2019

When it comes to potential renters, there is an entire process involved in properly screening candidates. That being said, there are certain questions that you should be asking during this process in order to help you make better decisions regarding whether or not a candidate is eligible.

With that being said, below are 15 questions that you should be asking potential renters.

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1. When are you looking to move?

First and foremost, you will want to ask the renter when they are looking to move, the soonest they are able to move in and the latest they are willing to move in. While these may all appear like the same question, they provide you with a strong understanding of what a candidate is looking for.

If they are looking to move immediately, but then become wishy-washy when it comes to putting a date to it, chances are immediately isn’t the right answer. These three questions help you accurately determine what your timeline looks like so you can better assess whether or not you will have openings.

2. How long have you lived in your current residence?

Again, this may not feel like a relevant question, but it does provide you with a lot more information than meets the eye. For instance, this could be a great segue to ask why they are looking to move, what they are looking for in an apartment complex and why the time they spent at their current residence was so short/long.

Basically, this question provides you with a more accurate assessment of how long the potential renter typically stays in a residence, which will help you to better assess whether or not there is a space for them in your housing complex.

3. What does your employment history look like?

When it comes to potential renters, you should definitely be looking into their employment history. For instance, you’ll want to know how many jobs they’ve had, how long they stayed at those jobs, whether or not they would be a risk, etc.

When you know an individual’s employment history, you can better determine if they are able to hold a job or not, which can help you determine whether or not they would be able to consistently pay rent and utility fees. An individual with a spotty employment history can indicate someone that isn’t trustworthy or reliable financially, which could be a reason not to lease to that individual. So the more information you can get regarding the employment history, the better.

4. Can I contact your current landlord?

If applicable, this question is important for a variety of reasons. For one, if you need a reference that you trust, this is going to be the most accurate way of getting one. Second, even if you don’t end up reaching out to the individual’s current landlord, this gives you an accurate view of whether or not the individual is trustworthy.

Let’s say, for instance, that they tell you no. If you can’t contact their current landlord, this could indicate someone that has burned a bridge there, which could be bad for you. From here, you can ask more pertinent questions regarding why not to assess whether or not that answer is warranted (i.e. if the landlord is prejudiced without grounds) or if it’s simply used in order to prevent you from learning something negative about the individual.

If an individual says yes, there are rarely going to be issues between the tenant and their previous landlord, which is a good sign for you.

5. What is your monthly income?

While it’s good to know an individual’s salary, it’s also relevant to understand what that breakdown looks like at a monthly level. When dealing with rent, you are typically dealing with a monthly payment. For this reason, having the individual’s monthly income in front of you can help you assess whether or not that individual can pay the monthly rent.

In addition, this will help you determine, based on other resident’s monthly bills, whether or not an individual can afford to pay rent, utilities and still have enough to buy food, etc. Some applicants won’t have thought this through, so being able to look at it on your end can help you assist them in making a better decision.

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6. How many people will be living with you?

While this is relevant in terms of a lease and the number of bedrooms the individual is looking for, this is also a good method for you to get as much information upfront as possible. Some individuals will come alone, rent a one-bedroom apartment and move in with a family, which isn’t a realistic living situation and can cause problems that will fall back on you.

For safety reasons, and for your own benefit, you should be asking individuals how many people will be living with them, never assuming that, because someone showed up alone, they are just moving themselves in.

7. Do you have any pets?

When you ask an individual how many people will be living with them, 9 times out of ten they will leave out any pets. For this reason, you should always be asking whether or not they have any pets. In addition, if they do have pets already, you should be asking how many and what kind. Some residences have restrictions on breeds as well, so you’ll want to ensure the individual meets all of the requirements prior to moving forward.

That all being said, just because an individual says they don’t have pets doesn’t mean that this won’t change down the road. For this reason, you should also be asking them whether or not they plan on getting a pet or pets in the future, what kind and what general timeframe. In addition, you’ll want to reiterate any pet restrictions so that the individual is fully aware of them prior to committing to living in your complex.

Infographic Via Canva

8. Do you (or any individuals that will live with you) smoke?

Many apartment complexes have rules regarding where individuals are able to smoke, so this is an opportunity to point out those areas and reiterate those rules. In addition, you may encounter individuals that smoke in the house, etc., at which point smoke damage could be an issue that you need to consider.

Basically, you should be fully aware of who is moving into your apartment complex and what their habits are, especially when they could be detrimental to your apartments.

9. Will they require parking?

There are many questions to ask when it comes to parking, so always ask whether or not they will require parking spaces? If they say yes, you should also be asking them how many spaces they will need. In addition, if you have garages available, you should be asking them whether or not they would like one, as well as how many they would need.

Here, you can let them know all of the pricing (if parking costs additional money) and get a good feel for whether or not your complex can house the number of vehicles the individual has. You may also want to ask what types of vehicles they will need, as some complexes have spaces for motorcycles, mopeds, etc., in which case the individual may not need a full parking spot, but rather a compact spot.

Finally, in this eco-friendly timeline, you should also be asking whether or not they have a smart or electric car, as they may require parking that you don’t have or that you only have in designated areas.

10. Are you familiar with the rental application process?

You’ll want to ask this question for a couple of reasons. For one, you’ll want to see if they are familiar with the process just to see if they know what’s required of them or not. This is also a great way to lead into some more personal questions which could be offensive if someone hasn’t been through the process before. This is a great way to set that up and allow you to explain the process in full so they have a better understanding of what’s to come.

11. Are you willing to submit to a background and/or credit check?

For most apartment complexes, both a background and credit check will be needed in order to let someone move in. This being said, credit checks do effect someone’s credit, so you should definitely be asking their permission prior to completing one. In addition, a background check isn’t always submitted to, so you’ll need permission there as well.

If the individual doesn’t give you permission, it’s probably best to part ways, as this is truly the only way to go into a lease with a full understanding of who you are leasing to.

In addition, you’ll want to explain what the implications of a background/credit check are. For instance, if you have a minimum credit score threshold and a no-tolerance policy, you’ll want to let them know that information before they submit, giving them the opportunity to walk away if they know they won’t meet your requirements.

As part of this category of questioning, you’ll also want to ask if the individual has ever declared bankruptcy and/or been convicted of a crime, as both of these items are typically dealbreakers for individuals renting apartments.

12. Can you provide references?

Whether you are looking for employer information, family contacts or past landlords (if applicable), references are a great way to ask questions about someone to determine whether or not they are a fit for your apartment complex.

When conducting a reference check, ensure you are only asking questions relevant to your office (i.e. information about dependency, reliability and financial stability) and avoid questions that can be deemed discriminatory or offensive.

The purpose of a reference check is just to validate what has already been said to you, so ensure you are sticking to that script in conducting reference checks, should you choose to do so.

13. Have you ever broken a lease/been evicted in the past?

It might seem like a weird question, but it’s one that’s likely the most relevant to you. When you ask an individual whether or not they’ve broken a lease, you can get a great understanding of if they’re familiar with how leases work. In addition, if they have broken a lease, you can question them as to why and for what reason, which will help you determine if this was a one-time thing or if this is pattern behavior.

Also, if an individual has ever been evicted, this is a giant red flag that you will need to pay attention to. An eviction typically indicates a negative relationship between a landlord and tenant, so you’ll want to dig into why it happened and whether or not the individual is at fault.

As part of this line of questioning, you’ll also want to ask if there is anything that could interrupt an individual’s ability to pay rent. For instance, if they have any current debt, upcoming large payments or any career gaps/unemployment problems that you should be aware of.

14. Are you able/willing to pay the application fee/security deposit at this time?

Typically, there is a fee for processing an application (which should be indicated to the individual upfront) but there is also typically a security deposit that’s due upon approval. You’ll want to outline these rules and deadlines to the individual in question and ensure they are able/willing to make these payments according to the deadlines that you’ve outlined.

15. Do you have any questions?

Last, but definitely not least, you’ll want to ask if the individual has any questions for you. This is a time for them to address anything you may not have covered and to help you give the individual a solid understanding of what it would mean to live in your apartment complex.

While the above questions are a great starting point, you’ll want to ensure you touch every point of your lease to ensure the individual applying is well aware of all of your rules and regulations and has a good understanding of what they are applying for prior to submitting to the application process.

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