Tenant Verification Services provides landlords and property managers with a variety of screening options. Select a market to sign up or learn more.
A British Columbia landlord was ordered to drop a lease provision that allowed for an above-guideline rent increase in the event the landlord incurred additional costs. According to a news report, the provision allowed the landlord to increase rent by an additional...
Rental forms are the backbone of property management, so why not give yours a little extra punch? Check out these four tips: 1. When preparing a rental ad, include these simple words: Tenant Background Check Required. Tenants with bad rental history or bad credit...
Before vacating a property because her unauthorized pet sparked a noise complaint, a tenant poured cement into the drains and washing machine and glued the dryer door shut. Prior to moving, she demanded her deposit back before allowing an inspection. Another tenant...
Minneapolis City Council has passed an ordinance that seeks to prohibit landlords there from rejecting tenants based on criminal history, prior evictions, or low credit scores. The contentious measure, dubbed the Renter Protection Ordinance, is similar to a tenant...
Rental forms are key to good property management. Here are some ideas to help you make the most of your landlord forms: 1. Rental ad Not all landlords see the rental ad as a part of the leasing package, but the ad is a tenant's first impression and sets the stage for...
Seven landlords in the Washington, D.C. area are now facing a lawsuit over online rental ads they placed on Facebook. The social media platform earlier was sued by housing advocates over allegations it enabled race, gender and family discrimination by allowing...
A Vancouver landlord recently detailed in the news how he found his rental unit after his disgruntled tenant moved out: cement in the drains, toilet, and appliances, holes in the walls, the dryer door glued shut, and the key glued into the lock. Only three weeks into...
There's a lot riding on a rental application. Getting it right means staving off tenant fraud and quickly eliminating applicants who are not qualified. To accomplish that, the application needs to contain all the requisite parts, without muddying the waters with...
Whether to allow tenants to keep pets is an important decision for every landlord. The decision requires a balancing act, choosing between happier tenants versus the potential for more property damage at the end of the tenancy. The benefits of pet-friendly properties...
The annual rent increase guideline for 2020 in British Columbia is set at 2.6%. That figure represents the maximum most landlords can increase rent throughout the year. To increase rent, a landlord must provide notice to the tenant three months before the increase is...
The 2020 rent increase guideline for Manitoba is set at 2.4 percent. That figure is slightly higher than the previous year. In comparison, the 2020 rent increase guideline for British Columbia is set at 2.6%, and the 2020 guideline for Ontario is 2.2%. To increase...
Let's face it: we all make mistakes. The best thing we can do is set things right, forgive ourselves and move on. But that doesn't mean we can't learn from other people's missteps: 1. Frustrated over an unauthorized pet, a landlord entered a tenant's apartment when...
Standard lease agreements can work when enforcing a landlord's rights, like in the case of an eviction. But enforcement is not the only goal. The lease agreement can be a deterrent -- and prevent the actions that give rise to evictions in the first place. For the...
Make tenant screening as stress-free and effective as possible by avoiding these easy-to-fix mistakes: 1. Demanding cash rather than check for rent deposits or application fees. Some landlords prefer cash for application fees or rent and security deposits. The theory...
A couple from Oakland, California are taking on that city's new eviction ordinance that required them to pay $6,500 to a tenant for the right to move back into their primary residence. For many local landlords, that amount will be higher. Oakland is one of several...
A landlord in Ontario is reeling after he evicted his tenant for failing to pay rent and then found two abandoned dogs and heaps of trash inside the apartment. According to a news report, the landlord estimates he is out $20,000 in lost rent and property damage. The...
A rental applicant who offers to pay in cash may seem like the dream tenant. No worries over bounced cheques. In reality, cash payments are a red flag. Rather than streamlining the leasing process, a landlord needs to use extra vigilance when screening these...
The idea of a standard one-size-fits-all rental lease is appealing in theory, but it rarely works out that way in practice. Simply stated, standard leases are too generic to do the job. Another flaw in some standard tenancy agreements is an underlying misconception...
A landlord who brought an eviction action against a tenant whose marijuana smoking was disturbing other tenants now must face a human rights action for discrimination. According to Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario records, the landlord initially filed for dispute...
Is your rental applicant telling the truth about employment and income? It's a question every landlord needs to ask. And with tenant fraud on the rise, it's information that must be independently verified. Private landlords aren't the only ones who struggle with...
