One of the most important references to call is an applicant’s previous landlord. They are the only ones that can answer many question about the applicant’s rental history.
Why Is it So Important to Talk to a Prior Landlord?
During the screening process, you aim to assemble the puzzle pieces to construct a full picture of potential tenants. Background checks, current employers, and the application can give you a pretty decent idea of who you’re dealing with, but prior landlords are the only ones who really know how your applicant is as a tenant.
Failure to do your due diligence on this step will more likely lead to evictions (which can cost you $3,500 or more) and vacancies (which cost $2,000 per month in lost rent).
Poor tenants can also lead to burnout, meaning you might want to quit being a landlord and sell the property altogether.
Beware of Fake Landlords
Some applicants may give you the phone number of a friend who will pose as the landlord and give a glowing review. One way to avoid this is to ask something like, “Do you have any vacancies?” If they hesitate, that’s a clue they’re not who they say they are. A real landlord is used to that question and answers it all day long.
Another question, which you should ask anyway, is to have them confirm the address and the dates your applicant rented from them. A phony landlord may still have that information if they’re well prepared, but it’s worth a shot.
14 Questions to Ask a Potential Tenant’s Previous Landlord
Here are the best questions to ask a previous landlord:
- Can You Confirm [Applicant] Rented From You?
- Would You Rent to [Applicant] Again?
- Did [Applicant] Pay Rent on Time and in Full?
- Did [Applicant] Have Problems With Illegal Activity?
- Did [Applicant] Reasonably Take Care of the Property?
- Did [Applicant] Break the Rules of Your Lease Agreement?
- Was the Property in Good Condition When [Applicant] Left?
- Was [Applicant] a Good Communicator?
- Did [Applicant] Smoke on the Property?
- What Was the Monthly Rent?
- Did [Applicant] Receive Their Full Security Deposit Back
- Did [Applicant] Give You Proper Notice Before Vacating?
- Why Did [Applicant] Move Out?
- Was [Applicant] Responsible for Landscaping and Snow Removal?
1. Can You Confirm [Applicant] Rented From You?
The first question to ask is to ensure you’re both on the same page.
2. Would You Rent to [Applicant] Again?
This is perhaps the best question to ask as it really encompasses the rest. If the landlord says no, have them elaborate. If they say yes, then you can have a good idea that the applicant isn’t a handful.
Of course, you still should ask all the other questions as perhaps your questions will jog a memory.
3. Did [Applicant] Pay Rent on Time and in Full?
This question is important because late payments often won’t appear in a credit check. By federal law, landlords cannot report late rent until it is 30 days past due. Even after that 30-day period, many landlords still do not report late payments because of the hassle.
You’ll certainly want to know if they have a history of paying rent late or in installments, so you must dig deeper than the credit check and ask the landlord.
You’ll also want to know:
- Did they often only pay part of the rent and then the rest later?
- Did they try to negotiate or complain when it was due?
- Did they try to barter the price? Did they offer a service in exchange for cheaper rent?
None of these things make the applicant a bad person, but it does make them a higher-risk tenant.
4. Did [Applicant] Have Problems With Illegal Activity?
If they have any convictions in their past, you can uncover that with a quick criminal background check. However, not everything will show—for example, if a misdemeanor happened in a different county, it might not appear on a background check.
Also, the prior landlord may have noticed illegal activity but didn’t care enough to report it. If you’re going to deny an applicant based on that reason, you should have adequate proof of the illegal activity.
Arrests cannot be used to deny an application, as they do not imply guilt. If a prior landlord mentions an arrest, be sure not to ask the applicant about it, nor should you use that information when deciding on your next tenant.
5. Did [Applicant] Reasonably Take Care of the Property?
You will want know if they took care of responsibilities such as:
- Paying the utilities
- Mowing the lawn
- Shoveling snow
- Handling the landscaping
- Other responsibilities laid out in advance
Also, did they generally keep the house in good condition? Were there signs of poor interior maintenance, such as:
- Dinged walls
- Chipped paint
- Stained carpet
- Broken cabinet doors
- Unreported maintenance issues
All of that costs you money, so be sure to ask the previous landlord and be specific about what you’re looking for.
6. Did [Applicant] Break the Rules of Your Lease Agreement?
Each lease agreement has different rules for the property, and finding out if they didn’t follow the previous landlord’s rules is important information to gather.
Some of these rules can include:
- No pets
- No long-term guests or tenants not on the lease
- No painting
- No installing new permanent fixtures
- No candles inside
If they had problems with these (or other rules established by the previous landlord), they’ll likely have issues at your property as well.
7. Was the Property in Good Condition When [Applicant] Left?
While a tenant may not be required to leave a place spotless, the best tenants will thoroughly clean before leaving.
They will also try to clean spots on walls, stains on carpets, and other small maintenance tasks that they can handle. They do this to get their security deposit back.
Your applicant likely hasn’t vacated their place yet, so you may have to contact their prior landlord. It’s worth the extra effort to get a feel for the quality of your applicant.
8. Was [Applicant] a Good Communicator?
Was the applicant:
- Respectful?
- Helpful?
- Timely?
A great tenant will be sure to let you know of any maintenance issues as they arise. They’ll keep you apprised of their intentions to renew and be accommodating when you’d like to visit the property. Be sure to ask their landlord about all of this.
Great communicators will often suggest alternate times to visit if yours doesn’t work. For example, if you suggest coming by Tuesday at 5 pm, a great tenant will provide you with 1-2 times that work better for them rather than giving a flat “no.”
9. Did [Applicant] Smoke on the Property?
Property managers are allowed to reject an application if the applicant smokes. This is because it’s not considered addicting, so therefore, it isn’t a handicap, which is a protected class.
While your application should ask if they smoke, it’s easy to lie on the application. A prior landlord can help answer this question for you.
Since the average smoking-related costs to a rental property run about $4,935, you need to find out if your tenant smokes.
10. What Was the Monthly Rent?
If the applicant’s previous rent was $1,200 and your rent is $2,100, you’ll want to look into that.
Perhaps they got a raise and want to upgrade, or they’re stretching too far to get a nicer place. If you were on the fence about their income before, this could be another sign that you should move on.
11. Did [Applicant] Receive Their Full Security Deposit Back?
This is a good question to tell you if they were hard on the property and the landlord had to withhold some money to cover repairs.
12. Did [Applicant] Give You Proper Notice Before Vacating?
Vacancies are among your highest costs, given how expensive rent is becoming. A tenant who doesn’t let you know they’re leaving leads to an expensive vacancy.
13. Why Did [Applicant] Move Out?
- Did the landlord have to kick them out?
- Were they breaking lease rules?
- Did they get a new job?
- Were they just restless or wanted a “change of scenery?”
Knowing why they moved out can help you understand if the applicant will likely stay for a long time—which is what you want for great tenants.
14. Was [Applicant] Responsible for Landscaping and Snow Removal?
This may be less relevant if you’re in an apartment, condo, or townhome. However, if you have a single-family home as a rental and require your tenants to handle landscaping and snow removal, you’d like to know if they’ll do it.
If the previous landlord claims they were spotty with it or constantly trying to get out of it for one reason or another, that’s a sign of a less-than-stellar applicant.
Be Careful of Discrimination
While you can ask these questions from a previous landlord, you may get answers you can’t use as a basis for denying an applicant.
Here is the list of protected classes laid out in the Fair Housing Act:
- Color
- Race
- Religion
- Familial status (e.g. can’t reject for too many kids or unmarried couples)
- National origin
- Gender/gender identity
- Handicap
For example, if the previous landlord says something like, “I heard they were going through a rehab to get off meth,” you can’t deny an applicant for that reason. Drug use is a protected class, as addiction is considered a handicap. However, they are not allowed to use illegal drugs on your property, or to keep, manufacture, or sell them.
If you’re unsure about your reason for denying an applicant, consult with a landlord & tenant attorney. Otherwise, you could have a potential discrimination lawsuit on your hands.
