Avoid Discriminatory Screening

• Before you begin the screening process, familiarize yourself with fair housing laws. These laws prevent you from eliminating a tenant candidate based on certain factors, including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disabilities and family structure. Visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website for more specifics on the laws. You leave yourself open for a lawsuit if you discriminate against applicants during the screening process.
  
  

Set Criteria

• A set or specific criteria standardizes the screening process to make sure you judge all applicants fairly. General tenant screening forms give you a starting point, but you should customize the forms based on your situation. Consider the qualities that you want in a tenant and use them as the basis for your screening. A credit and background check is often included in the tenant screening process. Consult with your lawyer after setting your criteria to ensure you follow all legal requirements.
  
  

Verify Information

• Simply running checks and asking potential clients to fill out an application isn't enough to ensure a quality renter. Read through the information thoroughly on the application to look for red flags. Go beyond just the overall credit results to look for things like inconsistent addresses. Follow up with multiple references, again looking for consistency in what they tell you and the information the tenant provided.
  
  

Take Your Time

• In a rush to fill the rental, you could overlook a potential problem with the tenant. After reviewing the paperwork and reports, schedule an interview time with each applicant. The interview gives you a sense of how well the tenant might fit with your rental unit and your expectations. It also gives you a chance to discuss any red flags you noticed in the paperwork.