What are the top 18 questions you should ask prospective tenants while screening them?

A property is one of the most expensive possessions that one has and also the biggest security. This is a way of income for many people who rent out their apartment, flat or villas. However, since the value associated with this is huge, due diligence is important and as part of it, there are these 18 top questions that will help you gauge the tenant better. The answers to these questions will actually give you an approximate background about the tenant and if it’s a good decision to rent the house to him at all.  

 

#1 What is your permanent address?

This should include the full name, permanent address and contact details of the prospective tenant. There should be more than one available contact number where the tenant can be reachable. The details should also include the current address of residence.

 

#2 When will you move to the house on rent?

This will make you understand if the tenant is just scouting the market for options and he plans to rent the property only after 3-4 months or he is desperate and is ready to move immediately. Ideally a tenant after zeroing in on the property may move within two weeks, once all the last minute repair work is completed by the landlord and documentation is done. As a landlord, you should not bypass any of the documentation work and let the tenant move in first as this can be risky.

 

#3 Why are you moving from your old house?

It’s a good thing to ask why the tenant is moving out of his current place of residence. This will help you gather lot of information about the tenant like

• Have you Does the tenant always lived in rented houses?
• Was the tenant looking at more / less space that led him to rent your property?
• Does the tenant you own a house in the city but has chosen to rent for reasons such as proximity to their workplace or school?

If yes, where is his property located, configuration and has the tenant put it on rent?

 

#4 Were you the tenant evicted from the previous rented property?

This will help you determine if the tenant has had any problem with the previous landlord.  This will also tell you if the tenant is problematic or not. You can verify the information given by the prospective answer given by the tenant with the previous landlord. Though it may be a tedious work, it may be worth the effort. can be verified from the previous landlord.

 

#5 Does the you tenant have any criminal record?

Check with the tenant if there was any criminal case registered against him and if yes, what is the background. Insist on a police verification before getting the tenant on board. Many real estate agents in a hurry to close the deal may recommend to you to notarise the rental agreement. As a landlord, it’s in your interest that the property is safe and in case of legal implications, only rental agreements which are registered holds legal ground as opposed to notarised rental agreement is invalid in the court of law.

 

#6 Where do you work?

Check out where the prospective tenant is working. Find out if he is into the service sector or is into doing business. Also, find out how long the tenant has been working with the company. It’s a good idea to get an idea of the tenant’s salary to know the financial stability of the tenant and if he would be able to pay monthly rent on time.  So, at the time of document submission, the tenant should show you the employment letter in the company letterhead and bank statements or salary slip.

 

#7 Have you the tenant taken a huge loan from the market or filed for bankruptcy recently?

This will give you an idea on if the tenant can service the rent easily for the tenure he will be staying. If you have any doubt about this point, stay away from the deal.

 

#8 What was the tenure of the last rental house you stayed in?

This is important information that will tell you if he is a steady tenant or someone who will move out frequently. Remember, it works in your favour of the landlord if the tenant stays in the house on rent for at least two to three years. However, if the tenant stays for more than five years, you may yourself the landlord himself asks the tenant to vacate as is the practice in most places in India (to safeguard your property from adverse possession).

 

#9 Who all will stay in the house on rent?

Know the number of people who will be staying in the house on rent. It has to match the configuration of the property you own too as many societies do not permit overcrowding in a rental property. For instance, if you own a 2 BHK where ideally 4 adults / 2 adults and 2 kids can stay comfortably and will see a the tenant’s family includes with 6 adults and 1 senior citizen and 2 kids, the housing society may not give permission to you to host the tenant. Instead, the housing society may recommend the tenant to take two houses on rent instead of one as the resources in the house and society will be abused.

Also, there are societies which do not rent out flats to bachelors, paying guests. Note that discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, religion etc. is illegal. However, many housing societies continue to do this on the pretext of some other reason.

 

#10 Do you have a es the tenant have a pet?

If the tenant has a pet, first find out what pet he has. Inform the tenant that he has to adhere to the pet policy followed by the housing society. Owing to its aggressive nature, there are some dogs that cannot be tamed as pet animals in India. Ensure that the tenant doesn’t have one of them, as then it’s risky for other people staying in the housing society. While it is illegal to say no to pet parents, it is also important that the pet parents are responsible with their pets and ensure that the pet doesn’t pollute society’s premises.

 

#11 Does you the tenant smoke?

It’s a good idea to find out about these habits as some housing complexes have strict no smoking policy.

 

#12 Are you fine with the parking space or lack of parking space in the society?

Some societies have parking and some others don’t. So, the tenant should clearly know if the project that he is renting has parking or not and what he is planning to do in case of absence of parking space.

 

#13 How do you es the tenant plan to pay the monthly rent?

While some people do bank transfers, some others hand over post-dated cheques. Nowadays, tenants can also pay their rent using the credit card or UPI.

 

#14 Can you the tenant pay a security deposit and two month’s advance rent?

This will also speak about the financial status of the tenant and his ability to pay the rent on time.

 

#15 Do you es the tenant want anything specific in the property he is renting?

While a tenant cannot make structural changes to a rental property, he can get things like personalised wall painting, putting fittings and fixtures etc. If the property is completely bare, he can ask the landlord you (the landlord) to get a modular kitchen and some storage made available for convenience.

 

#16 Does you have a the tenant have a rental guarantor?

This is important in case the tenant defaults on the rent that he is supposed to pay.

 

#17 Are you Is the tenant clear on what your responsibility is towards the property?

Before you finalise the tenant and sign the rental agreement, check whether the tenant is clear with all rules related to tenancy.  

The tenant should be very clear that once he takes the house on rent he has to pay the electricity and water- utility bills every month.

• He is also responsible for getting repair works done on things that may have gotten spoiled due to wear and tear.
• The tenant should adhere to the tenancy agreement.
• The tenant agrees to pay the security deposit.
• He should pay the rent on time, else may be asked to evict the property.
• The tenant cannot sublet the property without knowledge of the landlord.
• The tenant should adhere to the rules of the society.  Any complaints regarding behaviour will not be taken kindly and the tenant will be asked to vacate.
• The tenant should maintain the property neatly and also maintain hygiene of the society. Throwing garbage from the balcony, using water to wash the balcony etc. are strictly prohibited in most housing societies and if caught doing this, the tenant will be severely penalised.
• If the tenant wants to leave the property and move, he has to give the landlord a notice of at least one month.
• The tenant should also understand and agree that if the landlord wants him to vacate the house, he will be given one month’s notice that he has to adhere to.

 

Do you as the tenant, have any questions for me (the landlord)?

Finally, before closing, find out if the tenant has a query for you– the landlord. Be prepared to answer tenant questions such as 

• What is included in the monthly rent?
• Who will pay the maintenance charges?
• If there are amenities in the society, can tenant use them in the same way as owners?
• What has to be done in case of emergency?
• Can any modifications to the house be made?
• What is the process to renew the lease?
• What are the rules regarding bringing guests home?

 

Housing.com POV

As a landlord, do not shy from asking any question to the tenant. You are handing your property on rent to someone and you should ensure that the tenant is the right person so that you don’t get into problems like a tenant missing on paying rents, illegal occupying of a house without paying rent etc. In addition to getting answers to these questions, you should on your own get background checks of the tenant done to verify that the information provided is right. Also stress on the tenant getting a police verification. These steps will mitigate risks involved with rental housing.

 

FAQs

Should a landlord interview the tenant before renting?

Yes, a tenant interview will help the landlord make informed decisions.

Should a landlord finish the deal on the basis of what the broker says or do a background check?

A broker may want to finish the deal early, but it is the landlord who is the owner of the property. Thus, he has to take time, do proper due diligence and then only proceed with renting the house.

Should a landlord do a notarised agreement for rent with the tenant?

While this is cheaper, this is not valid legally. Hence, this method is not recommended.

Should a landlord allow the tenant to continue living in the house as long as he wants since he is paying the rent?

No. Under adverse possession, a tenant can legally acquire ownership of landlord’s property by continuous and open possession. Thus, in many cities, the landlord asks the tenants to vacate the house once a maximum of 5 years are spent by the tenant in the house.

Who will pay the utility bills for the rented house- tenant or landlord?

The tenant has to pay the utility bills.

 

Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com