If you’re planning to become a landlord anytime soon (as I just did with The Haggle House), I hope you’ll take the time to read the guest blog post I wrote for BiggerPockets.com today:
Take a look at the article, and if you have any questions or want more information, let me know…
Great post as always!
That is a great list to follow for landlords. Background checks are very important, we’ve been pretty lucky that our tenants have been more than tolerable, except for some instances where they fail to meet the payment deadlines.
Great post! One thing I was wondering is what sort of inspection do you have to have in order to handle people’s credit scores? Who does the inspection?
Hey Sean –
I haven’t gone through the inspection yet, so I don’t know all the details. But, in essence, if you want access to actual credit reports and FICO scores (as opposed to a watered-down “recommendation” about the candidate based on their credit), the companies that provide the credit information are now required to ensure that you will handle this sensitive information correctly. Most of them charge $50-100, and send someone to your home-office or business to verify that you have the necessary tools to appropriately handle this information.
Apparently, some of the things they’re looking for include:
– Password protected computer
– Locking file cabinet or safe to hold credit reports
– Document shredder
– Home office is actually separate from living area
If anyone reading this has gone through the process or knows more, please let us know!