Tenant Verification Services provides landlords and property managers with a variety of screening options. Select a market to sign up or learn more.
Fair housing watchdog HUD has issued a guidance paper for landlords to prevent discrimination against non-English speaking rental applicants and tenants. The Department has taken the position that while what it has dubbed "limited English proficiency" or "LEP" is not...
Washington, DC landlords soon may be subject to limits on how much they can charge for late fees. This is the latest example of how unpopular landlord late fees are with local lawmakers and judges. The move comes after tenant advocates successfully argued that...
Tenants in a housing complex in Meeker, Colorado have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking compensation for their suffering after their landlord told them they'd have to get rid of their companion animals. The three tenants claim their landlord ordered them to...
There are basically three strategies available when filling a vacancy: scheduling an open house, setting a deadline for submission of applications, or processing applicants in the order they are received. Because the first two options present logistical challenges...
If there's an apt catchphrase for landlords, it's don't take anything for granted, especially when it comes to tenants understanding their responsibilities. There is so much advice out there about dealing with bad tenants, yet the vast majority of renters are good...
British Columbia The allowable rent increase for British Columbia will rise in 2017 to 3.7%. This figure represents the maximum amount that rent can be increased for many residential rental properties. The figure changes each year. The allowable rent increase for 2016...
Calgary landlords are being warned they may need to adapt to a dramatic shift in market conditions there, according to a recent news report. Where the vacancy rate neared zero two years ago, CMHC is expecting that rate to spike up to seven per cent next month. This...
Seattle recently amended its already comprehensive rental rules to add a provision requiring landlords to accept the first qualified rental applicant. The law is intended to assist vulnerable populations, in particular those tenants who receive "alternative" income...
As frustrating as it is to discover that a tenant is leaving a rental property earlier than expected, taking a proactive approach to early termination requests often is the best way for landlords to avoid income loss. That approach includes reviewing the landlord's...
Pokémon GO may be the ultimate "mobile" app. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of people have checked out the game, with as many as 21 million playing daily, and these players are, indeed, mobile. The object of the game, in case you don't play, is to collect...
Bed bugs -- and pests in general -- are never fun to deal with in rental properties. But when it comes to income loss, prevention is worth the effort. Landlords may see more infestations in the fall. There are 3 why reasons this happens: High Density Dwellers The bulk...
When it comes to running a profitable rental property, the recipe for success includes finding the right tenants, actively managing those tenants, and reducing common landlord liabilities. Here are some easy strategies that can lower the risk of income loss: 1....
Built into nearly every tenancy agreement is a paragraph that deals with assignments and sublets. It's important for landlords to understand the impact of these provisions when handling tenant issues. Landlord Responsibilities: Assignments, Sublets, Early Terminations...
An Ontario Divisional Court Justice has added his name to the list of judges who have called for reforms in the eviction process to stop professional tenants from scamming landlords. Asked to hear an appeal by a tenant who made only one rent payment despite months in...
Alberta lawmakers unanimously passed an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act that requires landlords to allow victims of domestic violence to terminate leases early. This law was proclaimed in August and is now in effect. The new rule allows victims to flee a...
What's the best way to avoid a problem tenant? The answer is simple: eliminate unqualified applicants early in the tenant screening process. The fewer bad applicants in the queue, the less likely one will make into the rental. That can be easier said than done. Speed...
TVS provides a valuable service to both landlords and tenants: the ability to report tenant rent payments each month. When a landlord signs up to Report Tenant Pay Habits, great things happen: Reporting Tenant Pay Habits Helps Tenants Many people choose to rent...
A Colorado landlord is caught in a highly-publicized legal squabble with a long-term tenant after its eviction order was overturned. The case highlights some common errors that landlords make in the eviction process: Eviction Mistake #1: Not Following Local Law The...
After losing 18 air conditioning units in three years, a landlord in Ohio is sharing his strategy to prevent future theft: marking the property with an invisible tag that police can trace. The landlord explains to the local news that his properties have been targeted...
Have a vacancy coming up? With vacancy rates low, chances are you will receive a ton of phone calls, emails and texts from interested applicants. So many questions, in fact, it may be hard to keep track. Don't be fooled by the level of interest in the property. Just...
