What Questions Should You Ask An Incoming Tenant?
There is often plenty of focus on the questions incoming tenant should ask a landlord. But not much is said for the questions that you should ask potential incoming tenants.
It’s only natural that you want to know more about the person moving into your property. After all, they will be living there and it will be their home, so you want to find someone who is going to treat it as such.
We’ve put together a few suggestions to help make viewings a natural process and for you to get to know your potential new tenant.
Ask prospective tenants about their current living arrangements
Start things off by asking about their current circumstances: do they currently rent or this their first time renting? How many properties have they looked at so far. These questions will help you get a feel for how well they understand the renting process.
Someone who has never rented a property before will take a different angle to those who are aware of how things work. Your viewing might also be the umpteenth one they have been on. All these elements add together to give you a better idea of the circumstances of the potential new tenant.
Ask potential tenants if they have pets
Ask the renter if they have any pets. With 45 per cent of the UK population owning a furry friend, there is every chance that the person viewing the property has one too. That may or may not be a problem depending on the your position on allowing a tenant to live in your property with pets.
It’s good to get the pet question out of the way early so that you can inform the potential tenant on whether or not they will be able to rent the property. This way they can avoid the disappointment of finding out at a later date when they have already committed to moving.
Ask prospective tenants about their interests
You want the person viewing the property to put an offer in, which means that it won’t do any harm to find out a bit more about them. They might mention that they’re avid gym-goers, have a particular love for dining at Italian restaurants or like to enjoy socialising at bars and clubs on the weekend.
Therefore, make sure you know everything about the local area and popular amenities nearby. Perhaps there is a good gym nearby, the local neighbourhood might have an excellent Italian restaurant, or there could be plenty of bars within walking distance of the property. You’re not just selling the idea of the property; it helps to promote the local area too.
Ask potential tenants about how they travel
Never assume that a potential incoming tenant already knows about the postcode. Ask them about situations that relate to where the property is located, such as how they travel. Will they be reliant on public transport, will they use their own vehicle or perhaps it will be a mixture of both.
They may want to know if it’s easy to park near the property or if it comes with a parking space. While they will probably have some idea about public transport options, it’s always best practice to give them plenty of information about the frequency of tube/train/bus networks and which lines they’re on.
Encourage prospective tenants to ask you questions
Whether it’s through shyness or the fact it’s their 10th viewing of the day, sometimes renters might be reluctant to ask questions. That’s why it’s a good idea to be open and encourage them to be inquisitive.
You’ll want to provide them with as much information as possible to make an informed decision, so it helps if you have all the details. Let them know they can ask you anything about the property and the area where it’s located.
Getting the best out of a property viewing
Talking with potential incoming tenants doesn’t need to be a list of interview-style questions. Instead, it can be a friendly conversation and getting to know them better so that you can get all the information you need.
The lettings experience doesn’t need to be a stressful one, which is one of the Mashroom lets landlords rent our their property for free and provides you all the tools to secure new tenants with minimum fuss.
