Clever Questions to Ask Potential Tenants

For a landlord, getting the right tenant is almost as important as getting the right property - and getting the wrong tenant can prove to be a costly mistake, in all sorts of ways.

Asking the right kinds of questions when interviewing potential tenants is a great way of ensuring you make the right decision. Here are some good questions to start you off…

1. Why are you moving?

It’s a simple question but one which can yield a lot of useful information about the circumstances of your potential tenant. Ideally you want a valid reason like needing more room or changing jobs rather than being evicted from their last property…

2. What is your income?

It may seem like a personal question, but as a landlord you need to be confident that they will be able to afford the rent every month. If you would rather not ask about income directly, you could instead ask for their occupation, as this would also give you a good indication of their finances.

3. When are you looking to move?

It’s natural to be keen to rent your property as soon as possible, but be careful if your potential tenant is in a major hurry to move. There may be a genuine reason of course, but be sure to ask why!

4. Can you tell me what your lifestyle is like?

This isn’t meant to pry into their private lives, and having an active social life is their business, but it’s useful to know if they work nights or play musical instruments for instance, and may mean the property is not suitable for their needs.

5. Do you have the deposit and month’s rent in advance?

Problems paying their deposit and rent upfront may mean further rent payment issues down the line, so it’s important to be clear from the start.

6. Do you have any questions?

Giving your potential tenant the opportunity to ask questions themselves can be a great way of establishing exactly what kind of property they want - and whether or not yours is suitable.

We have plenty more questions we find useful when finding the right tenant. Just give our lettings team a call on 01952 290163 to talk about how we might help let your property to the perfect tenant!