As a property manager, you must operate by certain legal requirements when screening prospective applicants for your rental property. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make every effort to watch out for red flags. Identifying bad tenants can save you a great deal of money, time and headaches in the future.

Warning Signs for Identifying Bad Tenants Before They Sign a Lease

1. Negotiation Before a Viewing: Did the applicant try to drive down the price of rent before even seeing the property? This is usually a sign that the tenant cannot afford the property and they are looking for you to compromise on the rent so that they can live in a nicer property for less. This also indicates that they don’t care about the value of the property, but only the cost to them.
2. Haggling Over Deposits: A security deposit is there to protect you in the event that damage is done to the property. Good tenants know that the majority of their deposit should be returned at the end of the rental period if they care for the property. Identifying bad tenants can mean paying extra attention to applicants that are overly concerned about security deposits or move-in fees. If they will care for the property, why are they concerned about the deposit?
3. They Have Volume Control Issues: Some people have naturally loud voices, and others seem to yell as their default volume. If you notice that your prospective tenants are screaming or very loud, or that a family or couple is constantly raising their voices, it might be a sign that the same will happen at your property and lead to complaints from neighbors.
4. Asking About Smoke Alarms, Sprinklers, and Window Screens: Many smokers who want to smoke in a property regardless of your requirements will be curious if a smoke alarm will go off from smoking indoors, if sprinklers will be activated from their smoking or if window screens can be removed so that they can lean out the window and smoke.

Identifying Bad Tenants with Help from All County Denver Metro Property Management

All County Denver Metro Property Management offers all property owners competent and honest property management services. From rental market evaluation to tenant placement, we can assist with all of your needs. Our team of real estate professionals looks forward to hearing from you about how we can make your investment a stress-free asset and keep your tenants happy. Call us at (720) 575-6100 for a free quote.