Tenant Verification Services provides landlords and property managers with a variety of screening options. Select a market to sign up or learn more.
The key to optimizing the rental application process is to first realize that it's not about completing rental forms. If there's one phrase that best describes the application process, from vacancy to new tenant, it's a process of elimination. The goal throughout that...
One key to profitability is making your rental property as attractive as possible to the best tenants. Knowing what tenants want helps landlords fine-tune that strategy. How do you find out what tenants want? Published trends, available for both national and local...
Last month, the EPA announced that 12 popular d-CON mouse and rat poison products will be taken off the market. Citing concerns for children, pets and wildlife, the EPA explains that more than 10,000 children a year were accidentally exposed to these harmful...
The way you communicate says a lot about the person you are. The same is true of prospective tenants. It's not so much the words that someone chooses, but the message that's conveyed. As a landlord, you want a tenant who is at least as responsive during the lease term...
What are your options when you suspect your tenant is committing crimes? One Vancouver landlord has discovered there are no easy solutions. This landlord has been approached by prospective renters who say his tenant is going online and advertising a vacant rental...
A recent appellate decision upheld a ruling that a property manager holding himself out as a legal representative is not allowed to appear before the courts or tribunals in Ontario. The case clarifies new licensing rules allowing paralegals to represent landlords in...
The only thing that can compare with the frustration of finding bedbugs in your apartment complex is discovering a permanent report of the incident on the Internet. Once bedbugs wiggle their way into your rentals, it can take months to get rid of them. Working closely...
Q: My tenant gave notice and moved out. On a pre-move out inspection, I discovered that she had trashed my house. She told me just to keep her deposit because she did not have time to clean or do repairs. I did the necessary work, but it cost $2,200 more than her...
If there is one universal problem that plagues virtually every landlord it’s tenants who pay late. Late rent interrupts needed cash flow, and can force a landlord to make mortgage payments late, incurring extra costs. A late-paying tenant presents a more systemic...
Joint and several liability gives landlords an important advantage when renting one unit to multiple tenants. 'Together and apart', the phrase means all tenants are liable, but any one tenant could be held accountable for the entire balance of rent or any other...
Often, rental applications will ask whether the tenant smokes cigarettes. Does that include e-cigarettes? If you are one of the many landlords who have gone smoke-free, you've undoubtedly experienced the many benefits of non-smoking rentals. But, how do you stand on...
After being scammed by professional tenants, landlords in British Columbia are renewing their call for a bad tenant registry. A news investigation, prompted by complaints from area landlords, found that in one case a pair of professional tenants have lived "nearly...
A landlord in Calgary says he had no choice but to sue his former tenants to recover $105,000 in losses caused from a grow operation in the rental property. The landlord explained in the news that, while at least one tenant was convicted and ordered to pay...
If there is one universal problem that plagues virtually every landlord it's tenants who pay late. Late rent interrupts needed cash flow, and can force a landlord to make mortgage payments late, incurring extra costs. Even more problematic, a late-paying tenant...
The Manitoba Residential Tenancies Branch recently announced changes to the notice requirements for landlords asking tenants to move because the landlord plans to: Move into the rental; Renovate and tenant cannot stay during the work; Demolish the unit; or, Convert to...
A 52-year-old California woman has been sentenced to jail for scamming several landlords out of tens of thousands of dollars. The Santa Clara District Attorney's office that handled the prosecution warned landlords that rental scams are on the rise due to the...
A dispute with a tenant over the condition of the property -- and who pays for repairs -- is an unpleasant situation for any landlord. Even in cases where the lease sets out the respective responsibilities between the landlord and tenant, that may not be the final...
The overall intent of the companion animal rules is straightforward: Landlords are required to waive pet policies as a reasonable accommodation for a tenant with a disability. But, in practice, these rules can be difficult to navigate, especially when it comes to the...
Chicago Earns Notorious Honor for Second Year in a Row Chicago continues to top the list of most bed bug treatments, according to a report released by pest control leader Orkin. Winning the same honor last year prompted Chicago lawmakers to pass an ordinance requiring...
A solid rental application and lease agreement lead the way for a successful tenancy. Unfortunately, these tools are only as good as the information provided by the tenant. That’s why it's so important to verify the information received, starting with the very first...
