When private landlords have a deal with tenants the most important question is duly payment, safety and undamaged property and low risk of criminal or any damaged activities in the property.
All requirements is must be put in tenancy agreement but the main part of the rental process is check tenant’s background. It allows to avoid expensive litigation or eviction in future.
Tips for tenants screening:
1. Ask ID or proof of identity such as driving license and passport. You may ask an utility bills from current or previous home.
2. Vetting your prospective tenant(s). Private landlord and letting agency should get permission to make a credit check from potential tenants. There are three main credit agency in UK which keep credit records about individuals. It is Experian, Equifax PLC and Call Credit Check. Experian provide a range of tenant screening let to know background history and credit report. No check would be done without tenant’s consent.
3. Apart from credit check landlord could request a data at CCJ register and get information about satisfied and unsatisfied judgment, court orders and fines.
4. In term of immigration law, landlord must carry out a check of immigration status who are going to rent your property or part of it. This check is compulsory for all verbal and written tenancy agreements since February 2016. Only person who is UK citizen, EU citizen and those having ILR. If tenants have limited visa then landlord or agency must carry out a follow-up check. Renting out a property to those having no right to live in UK could cause penalties up to £1,000 or £3,000 for landlord or letting agency.
Anyone who lets private property in England, including those subletting or taking in lodgers, should make Right to Rent checks.
5. Landlord should feel free to ask prospective tenants to provide the references from former landlord and details of previous home, for example, utilities bills.
6. To be sure in tenant’s solvency landlord or agency usually ask to provide employment contract and/or bank statements for the last 3-6 months.
7. One of the informal way of vetting prospective tenant(s) is look up their accounts in social networks. All accounts and information in social network such as Twitter, Facebook, Linked and Instagram are open and private landlord shouldn’t be hesitate to make some informal check and get to know about a social or proffecional life of prospective tenants.
8. Where tenant has a guarantor a credit check is also essential together with ascertain a liabilities such as a job, how long guarantor has lived at current address, whether she or he have CCJ, debts or unpaid rents.