As a landlords in the state of Florida, there are a number of challenges that you are faced with. The biggest challenge is arguably finding responsible tenants. It’s not just about finding any tenant or the first tenant that comes along to occupy the space; you want to find a tenant that you know will pay the rent on time, won’t cause damage to the property, and will be easy to deal with. While some of this will only be determined over time, landlords do have one very powerful tool at their disposal and that’s to run a background check on potential tenants.
So, whether you are a brand-new landlord or you’ve been a landlord for years, learning how to run a background check is an important step in finding new tenants. Here’s a look at how you can go about the background check.
Use an Online Tool to Do the Work for You
More often than not, landlords may shy away from running a background check simply because they don’t know how to do it. They figure it will be too time-consuming and confusing, and they may not even understand the information that it comes back with. None of this could be further from the truth when you use an online tool such as Intelius. This tool makes it possible so search people in FL, look at public records, and perform a background check.
The fact is that Florida has a population of more than 20 million people, making it the third largest state in the entire country. With the population on the rise in the state, it means there will be more and more people looking for accommodation. Running a background check is just a smart step for landlords to take.
The Way it Works
Using Intelius is extremely simply. All you need to do is enter in the person’s first and last name, as well as location. From there, you will be able to narrow down the listings.
As for what kind of information the background check can provide, it will show you such information as the person’s criminal record, any lawsuits they have been involved in, liens against them, bankruptcies, and more. Obviously, this can be very handy information in picking that “ideal tenant”.
The search takes just seconds to complete, which also means you don’t have to worry about waiting on the results. This makes it possible for you to make a faster decision, which makes a huge difference since you may have other potential tenants also waiting to hear from you.
Feel Confident in Your Decision as a Landlord
A background check should be part of any tenant screening process. It provides landlords with insight that can help make their decision clearer, and can help prevent them from getting involved in a messy situation later down the road with a less than ideal tenant. Thanks to the wealth of online tools at your disposal, there is no reason not to perform this check since it is simple and quick.
