10 Steps to the Perfect Tenant

 2 MIN READ

RESOURCES

Written by Dan Nagle

List with Tenancy to fast forward through these steps and avoid the headache.

Your first listing is free.

   1. Know Your Market

Take a look at similar rentals in the area. Note which listings get higher numbers of views, shares, likes, or comments. Look for common features like air conditioning or number of bedrooms that renters seem to be most interested in.

   2. Stand Out by Staging Photos

Many renters only read the listing description if the photos stand out. Try to stage your photos to show how the renter could live in the space comfortably. Creative shots could show meal prep in the kitchen or a table set for a family dinner.

   3. Plan Your Process

Carefully think through your rental process from listing to lease signing. You’ll need a plan for how you’re going to keep track of inquiries, appointments, and applications.

   4. Keep Track of Leads

To track renters' interactions through the rental process, you’ll need one centralized list of leads. This could be a database or a simple spreadsheet. Try to build in ways to flag contacts as having promise or not to help filter your list.

   5. Prepare Your Responses

You’re bound to get countless “Is this still available?” and “When can I view the place?” messages. Be prepared to respond with simple pre-scripted questions thanking them for their interest and digging a bit deeper. Better yet, have a pre-screening survey ready to send for those interested in viewing or applying.

   6. Pre-screen Renters

Have a survey or questionnaire ready to send to interested renters. This “pre-screening” will save you time and money avoiding unnecessary credit and background checks. Make sure you track contact info between inquiries and surveys so you know who’s showing serious interest.

   7. Schedule Viewings

Juggling schedules can be very difficult. Look for a service you can use to send renters a link where they can pick which time works best for them within your availability. Again, you'll want to track who books viewings against your messages and pre-screening questions.

   8. Background and Credit Checks

There are lots of thorough screening services to choose from. They can tell you how responsible the applicant is with money and give you an idea on who the applicant is. 

   9. Offer a Lease Agreement

Offer the selected renter the option to sign digitally. This can get things finalized quickly with no fuss. Check whether rentals in your region or situation require a standardized lease. In Ontario? Click here for the Ontario Standardized Lease Agreement and how to use it.

   10. Let Tenancy Do the Work

A purpose-built service for finding your next tenant, Tenancy automates all these steps so you can focus on deciding which tenant to offer the lease to. Your first listing is free and it will be automatically listed at the top of Facebook Marketplace rental listings.

Check it out here or get started now by clicking "List For Free" below.