Tenant Screening Made Simple with Manger 4 You - Property Management in Chatham

angelwagenaar
Feb 12
5 min read

Updated: Feb 22

Finding the perfect tenant, who will respect and take care of your investment, can be a daunting task. From listing your property, verifying applications and conducting background and credit checks, the process can be extremely time consuming, overwhelming and stressful. With Manager 4 You, we can make this process seamless and provide you with a perfect match for your property. We have proven success and specialize in the tenant screening process to help property investors in Chatham-Kent enjoy peace of mind while protecting their investment.

Here's a look at the Do's and Don'ts of tenant screening that are sure to help you find responsible and trustworthy tenants.

The Do's of Tenant Screening

At Manager 4 You, we have developed a thorough screening process to ensure your new tenants meet the highest standards:

Require Rental Applications The first step in our tenant screening begins with the rental application. Each prospective tenant must provide a fully completed rental application. The rental application provides us with all the details upfront, this way we have the full picture. Our rental application includes employment history, rental history and references. Providing a complete application with all requested information is an important step in the screening process. If an applicant fails to fulfill this step, it may raise concerns about potential omissions.
No guessing games - we make sure the process starts on the right foot.
Verify Identity To protect your property and to ensure the safety of our leasing agents, we take the important step of verifying the identity of each applicant. This process helps us confirm that every applicant is who they claim to be. This is a crucial step to ensure security and transparency in the process.
Check Income Affordability is key when it comes to renting. We verify each applicant's income to make sure they can comfortably manage the rent, giving you confidence in their financial reliability. Pro Tip - Ensure that all Income Stubs are matched with Corresponding Deposits on the Applicants Bank Statement. This helps verify that no fraudulent documents are accepted.
Contact Employers Stability is important factor in selecting a reliable tenant. In an effort to provide a thorough screening process, we take the time to contact each applicants employers and confirm job status, tenure and overall stability. This step provides valuable insight into the applicant’s financial reliability and their ability to maintain consistent income, which directly impacts their ability to meet rental obligations.
Pro Tip - When contacting employers, ask specific questions about the applicant’s role and any patterns of performance or attendance issues that may provide insights in their success as a tenant.
Verify Rental History A solid rental history is often a good indicator of a successful applicant. We verify past addresses and speak with current and past landlords to get a full picture of the tenants history. This provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the applicant’s rental behaviour. By thoroughly reviewing their rental history, we are able to have insight on which applicants are likely to uphold their responsibilities.
Pro Tip - Request that applicants provide proof of on time rent payments for the past 3-6 months. This adds additional assurance of their reliability and demonstrates a history of being a responsible tenant
Call Current and Past Landlords
Feedback from former landlords is one of the most valuable tools. By asking the right questions, you can gain crucial insights into how the applicant has conducted themselves in their previous tenancies.

When speaking with landlords, it is important to go beyond “surface-level” questions. Ask questions about the applicants payment habits, if there was damages, what their relationship with neighbours was like. Asking deeper questions can highlight potential obstacles you may have with the tenant or if they would be suitable in your unit.
Pro Tip - Make sure you call current and past landlords. Current landlords might hesitate to share negative information, past landlords are more likely to be more forthcoming. We always ask, ‘Would you rent to this tenant again’, this simple yet powerful question provides a direct assessment of how the relationship between the landlord and tenant has been.
Run Credit Checks
Performing credit checks is the most critical step in evaluating a prospective tenant. This helps us make informed decisions. A thorough credit check provides important insight into an applicant's financial responsibility. A proper credit check allows us to see the applicant’s history with debt repayment, credit utilization, collections, bankruptcies and late payments. By relying on an official credit report from a trusted agency, we ensure that the information is accurate, verified and comprehensive. Pro Tip - Always insist and pay for an official credit report directly from a reputable company of your choosing. Never accept Credit Reports from prospective tenants or screenshots of Credit Scores. Self-provided reports can be easily altered or not show the complete picture.

The Don'ts of Tenant Screening

Just as import as what we always do, here's what we never do.

Accept Incomplete Applications
We never proceed with incomplete applications. Missing information can lead to complications and risks that are not worth taking. You are making a long-term commitment with your investment, that is why we don’t take shortcuts. We make sure the tenant provides a completed application before we proceed in our screening process.
By enforcing this strict policy we are ensuring that every applicant is treated fairly and consistently.
Show Units Without Verifying Identity
Safety and security is our top priority. We verify the identity before scheduling property viewings to ensure the process is secure for all parties. This policy helps to prevent fraudulent activity and ensures that only serious applicants are viewing the property.
Accept Applicant-Provided Credit Reports
To maintain accuracy and trust, we only rely on official credit reports rather than those provided by applicants. Documents can be easily forged and it is important to review monthly payments to ensure affordability. We rely exclusively on official credit reports from our selected trusted agency.
Skip Reference Checks
We never take shortcuts when it comes to references. Both employers and previous landlords are always contacted to gather essential information. These checks confirm the applicant’s income, job stability, behaviours and ability to maintain the property while paying rent on time. By completing this step effectively, we ensure that each tenant placement is based on accurate and reliable information.
Accept Misleading or Incomplete Information
Transparency is a core value at Manager 4 You. We ensure all information provided is accurate and trusted. Accepting misleading or incomplete information is an unnecessary risk and can result in placing an unreliable tenant. We carefully review every detail provided to ensure it is complete, accurate and verified.
Discriminate
We strictly adhere to the Ontario Human Rights Code, every applicant is treated with fairness and respect. Discrimination has no place in the tenant screening process, decisions are based solely on objective criteria that we have preset. This ensures compliance with the law but also fosters trust, professionalism and an inclusive rental process.

Why Choose Manager 4 You for Tenant Screening?

Tenant screening is a vital part of protecting your property. It ensures a smooth rental experience and sets your property up for success and profitability. Leave this time consuming and complex task up to our experts. At Manager 4 You, we handle the entire process for you, from start to finish. We put professionalism and care into each screening as this is the cornerstone to the success of your investment. Our goal is always to find you a responsible tenant and eliminate the stress of screening each applicant.

Whether you're a seasoned landlord or new to real estate investing, our team is committed to providing you with reliable, transparent, and comprehensive tenant screening and leasing tailored to your unique needs.

Ready to Simplify Your Tenant Screening!

Let us take the hassle out of the process! Contact us today today to learn more about how we can help you protect your investment and find you the perfect tenant in Chatham, Ontario.

📞 Call Us: 519-352-7233

📧 Email Us: info@4youco.ca

Manager 4 You - "Trust us to take the hassle out of property management in Chatham-Kent"