When it comes to owning a Temecula rental property, the last things you want to deal with are late paying tenants, damaged property, or complaints from others. In fact, these things can wreck your profits and even put you out of business.

Whether you self-manage your property or use a reliable property management company, you’re going to come face-to-face with some terrible tenants. You may even have to evict one. And when these challenging times pop up, it might be hard to keep your cool, save your money, and most importantly, not break any rules.

If you need help with handling the few problem tenants that find their way into your rental property, keep reading. Today we’ve rounded up all the best ways to deal with terrible tenants and keep your rental property business humming.

Problem Tenants and How to Deal with Them

1. Those Who Won’t Pay Rent

When you invest in a Temecula rental property, you do so with the hopes of generating an annual profit. After all, being a landlord is just like owning a business. And if your tenants don’t pay the rent, you have a problem.

There are many reasons why your tenant may not pay their rent. For example, they may be short on cash, recently lost their job, or are even disputing some maintenance and repair issues. That said, it’s still their job to pay you each month.

When a tenant is late on rent, the eviction process usually begins. And while this might be what your property manager wants to do right away, there are some other creative solutions:

• Set up a payment plan so your tenant can make up the lost rent
• Provide a little bit of extra grace period for your tenant to pay the rent
• Allow your tenants to move in a roommate or sublet the property

Lastly, make sure you have an easy way for tenants to pay their rent each month. Sometimes, a tenant misses a rent payment because they couldn’t make it to the office in time. Or perhaps their check got lost in the mail. If you offer multiple ways for your tenants to pay the rent, you’re likely to prevent a lot of late or missing payments.

So, join the 82.2% of rental property owners that want their property management company to offer rent collection services. When you use technology like online rent services, it makes things easier on your tenants and helps you get your money on time, every time.

2. Property Damagers

Investing in a rental property is no small feat. You’ve likely spent a lot of time and money researching the best property, securing a great deal, and placing tenants in your rental. So, when a tenant moves in and damages your rental by being negligent or making unapproved improvements, it can be really frustrating.

If you want to make sure your tenants don’t damage your rental, follow these best practices:

• Conduct move-in and move-out property inspections. Before a tenant moves into your rental, you must document the condition of it. This way, when it comes time for your tenants to move out, you have something solid to compare the current condition of the property to. Collecting a security deposit is not the only thing that can help prevent property damage.
• Draft an airtight lease agreement. Setting your expectations high from the start is a great way to let your tenants know you mean business when it comes to caring for your rental. A good lease agreement thoroughly outlines what tenants should and shouldn’t be doing. It also lays out the consequences just in case your tenants make unapproved changes or damage your property.
• Perform routine inspections. It’s not enough to document the move-in and move-out conditions of your rental. Inspecting your property throughout the year gives your tenants a sense that you are watching them and how they care for your property. It also helps you repair minor issues before they become costly and ensure your tenants are satisfied throughout the lease term.

In the end, there is no way to truly prevent your tenants from damaging your Temecula rental property. However, if you take a proactive stance and set the bar high for your tenants, you reduce the chances of having a problem tenant on your hands.

3. Relentless Complainers

Everyone knows that one person that is never satisfied and complains about everything. Unfortunately, sometimes this person ends up being your tenant.

Having a terrible tenant that is never happy with what you or your property manager do is a pain. While your job is to make sure your tenants are happy and want to renew their lease agreement, there is a line that must be drawn.

Here are some helpful ways to handle the relentless complainer that is your tenant:

• Review Responsibilities. Knowing what your duties are as a landlord can be tough to keep track of. This is especially true if you use a property management company to help manage your rental. That said, constant complainers are good at targeting those that don’t understand their roles. So, to make your life a lot easier, and avoid this type of terrible tenant, make sure you know exactly what you’re supposed to do for your tenants as their landlord.
• Review the Lease Agreement. Another great way to make sure you can deal with your constant complainer without anger or rule-breaking, review the lease agreement. Many times, complainers complain about things that don’t matter or are just plain wrong. By reviewing the lease agreement with them, you can emphasize the rules, everyone’s responsibilities, and the consequences for going over your head.

Dealing with a complainer is never fun. Plus, you want to secure lease renewals to boost your retention rate and keep the profits coming in. That said, it’s better to take a stand against nonsensical complainers and risk losing them at the end of the lease term. You don’t want to get run over as a landlord. And you don’t want tenants like that staying in your rental anyways.

4. The Lawbreakers

20.5% of all rental property owners cite legal issues as one of their top sources of stress. After all, if you or your property manager do something wrong, your tenant may have the right to sue you. This is a headache that all landlords want to avoid.

However, it’s important to note that your tenants don’t have all the power. They too have rules and regulations they need to follow when leasing from you.

Here are just some of the things your problem tenant may do that will get them in hot water with you, your property manager, and the law:

• Run an illegal business out of your property
• Sell or harbor drugs
• Get into violent fights with those that know or those they don’t
• Rack up complaints from neighbors

Of course, you can never tell what your tenant is going to do once they get into your rental property. But making sure you have a thorough tenant screening process in place that is used on all prospective tenants will help a lot.

When you screen a tenant the right way, you check things like their references, employment and income, and criminal background. Many times, by checking these things as tenants apply, red flags are revealed, and you avoid placing a terrible tenant in your property.

5. The Wannabe Landlord

Remember, you are the landlord – not your tenant. You make the rules and the money. Your tenants live in your rental, follow the rules, and pay you rent.

Your tenants do not get to make the call when it comes to roommates or subletting your property.

Before your tenants try to take control from you and generate extra cash, consider these tips:

• Don’t allow roommates or subletting without screening anyone that plans to live in your rental
• Inspect your rental regularly to make sure there are no unapproved tenants
• Require approval for guests that plan to stay with your tenants for a long time

Don’t let your tenants do whatever they please once they move into your rental property. Set the expectations from the start. Be firm with all lease provisions and consequences. And remind yourself that you are the boss, not your tenants.

Final Thoughts

Need help managing your Temecula investment property? Then contact us today and see how we can help with preventing the placement of terrible tenants in your rental.

At Advent Property Management, we know that dealing with bad tenants is a hassle for landlords. That’s why we offer property owners stellar customer support and low-cost property management services that include thorough tenant screening. Not to mention, we provide you with detailed screening reports, complete with payment histories, so you have the peace of mind that the tenant we place in your rental is of the highest quality.

Take advantage of our focused approach to property management so you can enjoy your investment property without all the headaches. By trusting us with your property, you not only have the chance to maximize your profits but secure long-term tenants that care for your property as though it were their own.

As a landlord, you should ask all potential tenants for a list of references. That said, checking in on your tenant’s references isn’t enough.

After all, there are those people that will set up fake references to gain your approval.

With 33.1% of property owners stressing about filling vacancies, it’s easy to see how rushing the tenant screening process can happen. This is especially true when it comes to reference checks. But if you’re looking to make a profit, you need to be strict about how you approve tenants for your San Diego rental.

If you need some ways to spot fake tenant references, you’re in the right place. Today we’ve gathered all the best ways to ensure your prospective tenant’s references are real, so you can get a true picture of what your tenant might be like while leasing from you.

How to Spot Fake Tenant References

There are three types of references you’ll want to check in with before approving a tenant for your rental property in San Diego. They are a personal, employer, and previous landlord references. To make sure you aren’t getting swindled by a possible problem tenant, it’s a good idea to follow these best practices to ensure your tenant’s references are real.

1. Interview the Tenant

Before checking in with any of your potential tenant’s references, you’ll want to interview the tenant first. This way, when you seek verification from the list of references, you’ll have the information your tenant provided on hand.

 Here are some things to ask during a tenant interview:

• Where are you currently employed?
• What is your gross monthly income?
• What are your monthly debt obligations?
• What do you think your previous landlord might say about you?
• How would your friends describe you?
• By talking to your tenant first, you can get a quick glimpse into the type of person they are from the start. Plus, you can get a feel for how they might care for your property. Lastly, it will make finding any discrepancies easier.

2. Explain the Consequences of Fake References

Your prospective tenants should know from the beginning what the consequences are if they lie about their references. In other words, you should explain to your tenant that any fake references will result in an immediate rejection of their application.

By being upfront with your tenants, you’ll weed out some of the problems from moving forward in the process. It will also force most tenants to be more honest and add real references to their applications.

Lastly, being clear about the consequences for falsifying an application shows your tenants that you’re serious about leasing your rental and will not tolerate any problems.

3. Do Your Research

Before calling any references, conduct a little bit of research. Even something as simple as a Google search can reveal whether a reference is real or not. This is especially helpful when looking into a tenant’s previous landlord reference.

Just make sure you take everything you learn with a grain of salt. Even if there are some inconsistencies, it doesn’t necessarily mean your tenant is lying. Information may have changed, such as a business name or office location. If this seems to be the case, ask about it during the reference interview. If you notice anything suspicious at that time, then reconsider the applicant.

4. Always Call References (Don’t Email)

Creating a fake reference is easier to do on paper or in an email. Plus, reading a reference’s feelings about a tenant in writing can be tough.

If you really want to ensure your tenant’s references are real, give them a call. Talking to a person one-on-one will give you a better sense of what your potential tenant is really like. Plus, it will be obvious if the reference is fake when you give them a call.

To make sure your references are real, take advantage of Advent Property Management’s use of technology. With detailed payment histories available during the screening process, you can immediately see whether a reference (or tenant) is telling the truth about the past.

5. Ask Specific Questions

Another surefire way to help you discern between real and fake references when you call is to be very specific with your questions. Remember, just because someone answers the phone doesn’t mean they are a real reference.

When you talk to a potential tenant’s reference, ask questions that only a real reference will know:

• Previous Landlords: what type of license is needed to become a landlord, the dates the tenant leased from them, how much rent was being paid per month, and whether it was paid on time.
• Employer: what the tenant’s job title and duties are, their gross income, and how they perform.

When it comes to personal references, it’s harder to ask really specific questions. However, tuning in to the answers and making sure they aren’t vague and seem genuine will go a long way in your decision.

6. Ask for Pay Stubs

As a landlord, the only way you make money is to collect rent from your tenants each month. That’s why verifying employment, income, and employer references is so crucial.

Before you call your potential tenant’s employer, you might want to ask the tenant to provide copies of their last 3 months’ worth of paystubs. They can be used to verify employment and income. Plus, you can make sure your tenant can actually afford to pay the rental rate you’re asking for without any problems. This, paired with other background information such as a credit score can help you decide whether the tenant is a good candidate or not.

7. Ask the References for More References

There is no reason you can’t talk to more people about your prospective tenant before approving them for your rental.

One solid way to see if your tenant’s references are real is to ask a reference for another reference. This strategy is especially helpful when speaking to a tenant’s employer. For example, after speaking with the tenant’s boss, you might ask for the contact information of another employee that works closely with the tenant. If this information is available without hesitation, chances are the reference is real.

8. Hire a Property Management Company

An experienced property management company that knows the San Diego area will know how to handle tenants of all kinds – and their references. In fact, a reliable property manager will likely be able to handle tenant screening much better than anyone else, including you.

Hiring a local property management company to help with placing high-quality tenants in your rental property will ensure you the highest ROI and the best customer service. Plus, having a manager on hand that can easily spot fake references will guarantee that the tenant you place in your San Diego property is the person they say they are.

Need help managing your rental property? Then contact us today and see how we can help with tenant screening, reference checks, and so much more.

At Advent Property Management, we take on a smaller, more focused approach so you, your tenants, and your property get the attention that’s deserved. Using a strict and thorough screening process, we weed out the problem tenants right from the start. Not to mention, our detailed tenant screening reports come with payment histories. This helps you identify late rent payers from the start.

If you’re looking for stellar customer support, low-cost property management services, and the peace of mind that you have the best tenants possible leasing from you, we’ve got you covered. All you need to do is enjoy your investment property in San Diego and the profit it generates – we’ll do the rest.