A good first impression does not necessarily mean a good judge of character. Pre-screening potential tenants is one of the most important factors in the rental process. The best way to screen a potential client is by conducting a thorough background check. In most cases the prior track record of your potential tenant will be a good indicator of the type of tenant they will be.
For instance, if your potential tenant has a tendency to rack up a lot of un-paid debt, they are far more likely not to pay their rent on time, if at all. The same holds true for someone with a clean record. A potential tenant that has a good track record is likely to pay their rent on time, take care of the property, and abide by the lease terms.
Without properly vetting potential tenants before allowing them to move-in, you could be putting yourself at high risk of getting a bad tenant living in your property. A bad tenant can come with not only a terrible headache and high stress levels but also high costs like, eviction costs, legal costs, clean-up costs, damage costs, and the cost of lost rent during the eviction process. All of these costs add up and far outweigh the cost of conducting a background check. For some landlords this can become too much to handle themselves, and find that hiring Tampa property management company is a better solution.
To find the best fit for you and your property, a qualified Tampa property management company should require a complete background check and approval of application prior to move-in. Your Tampa property management company should also provide rental management services including disclosures, negotiating, lease contract agreements, rental payment processing, collections, violations, inspections, and evictions. Choosing a good Tampa property management company now will save you a lot of time, money, and hassle in the long run.