Ontario Landlords – Make Sure You Rent To Great Tenants (And Avoid Nightmare Tenants) With Good Tenant Screening, Including a Credit Check!
The story in the Toronto Star last Friday was shocking for many residential landlords across Ontario.
It was about a person the Toronto Star calls a “Tenant from Hell” who is facing being evicted from her Scarborough rental property.
It’s brought a lot of discussion at the Ontario Landlords forum.
Nina Willis is in the process of appealing a Landlord and Tenant Board decision ordering her to either pay rent on time or move out of the rental property she is staying in
The original Landlord and Tenant Board Order told her she had to move by March 2014.
However, she is “appealing” the Order which means she can delay the eviction (and avoid paying rent) for more months until she gets her say in the next court.
She has done this is each of her previous cases. It’s an easy way for tenants to continue to stay in a rental property and live “rent free” for months.
This isn’t the first time the Toronto Star has reported on this tenant and her tactics to rip off small landlords.
The Star says this is the 7th case of Nina Willis being evicted since 2005.
The Ontario Landlords association has also written about this “Tenant From Hell” in the past to warn landlords.
At least seven different landlords who have been cheated out of rent and dragged through the tribunal system. A system that can be expensive, time-consuming and extremely stressful.
Nina’s current Scarborough landlord won’t even talk to the media as they try to evict Nina from their rental property.
Why Do Landlords Rent To Bad Tenants?
No landlord wants to rent to bad tenants.
The worst tenants (meaning tenants who have a plan to rip off small landlords from Day 1 are often very crafty.
For example, Willis will do an Academy Award worthy performance when she first meets a potential landlord.
Bad tenants will be exceptionally friendly when they first meet you.
They will appear to be really “decent people” who will convince you they will pay rent on time and take care of your rental property like it is their own home.
It’s only when you rent to them that you begin to see their true face.
You won’t believe how they change as they accuse you of neglecting maintenance issues and even harassing them.
How Can I Find Good Tenants and Avoid the Bad Ones?
One of Nina’s former landlords is now an OLA member and is very careful to screen her tenants to avoid “tenants from hell.”
One of the best tenant screening tools is a credit check.
Check out the Ontario Landlord Credit Check site for more information on the importance of doing credit checks on tenants. This site was created to help Ontario landlords learn how to find good tenants and avoid tenants from Hell.
How Can a Tenant Credit Check Help Landlords?
Conducting a tenant credit check will give you the essential information you need to know about a potential renter before you rent to them.
This isn’t only important for Ontario landlords, but also key for Alberta landlords and British Columbia landlords who are also facing challenges.
How Can Tenant Credit Checks Help Me Avoid Tenants From Hell?
That’s an excellent question. After all, small landlords are often on tight budgets and conducting a credit check is an extra expense.
Let’s take a closer look at how a tenant credit check can help Ontario landlords find good tenants and avoid tenants from hell.
#1 Current and Past Addresses
A credit check from the Ontario Landlords Association will show you the current and past addresses of your potential tenant.
You don’t have to ‘trust’ what the tenant tells you. You can see the FACTS on the credit report.
You can then make sure you talk to the REAL current and previous landlords and learn the TRUTH about the tenant who wants to rent your rental property.
#2 Current and Past Employment
It’s very common for bad tenants to lie about their employment history.
They lie because they know landlords want to rent to tenants with stable jobs that provide enough income to cover the rent.
A tenant credit check from the Ontario Landlords Association will show you the REAL employment situation of the potential renter.
#3 Financial Responsibility
Bad tenants will smile and tell you they always pay their bills on time.
A tenant credit check will show you the TRUTH.
Do they pay their bills on time? Do they owe anyone money? Are there judgements against them? Are there any collection agencies after them?
Even British Columbia landlords are now recognizing the importance of credit checks as they face some serial bad tenants ripping off landlords in BC.
We often think of Alberta as the best place to own rental properties in Canada. Yet even Alberta landlords are conducting tenant credit checks to make sure they avoid pro tenants who can end up costing landlords tens of thousands of dollars.
How Can I Run a Credit Check On My Prospective Tenants?
In the past running a credit check was complicated and expensive.
Some of the landlord credit check companies out there add on all sorts of extra fees on you and have a complicated start up process.
As a small landlord, you want everything open and up-front.
You also want low fees and a fast and efficient system.
Join the Ontario Landlords Association
For only a one-time registration fee , Ontario landlords can get access to premium credit checks for only $10/check!
That’s right. No annual fee. Just a one-time registration fee.
You can then access premium credit checks foronly $10/check for credit checks that give you a credit score, addresses, employment and all the information you need to make a smart, informed decision on whether or not you will rent to a tenant.
You will even get a recommendation from the credit report.
Ontario Landlords – Bad Tenants Are Out There But You Can Protect Yourself!\
Become a Member of the Ontario Landlords Association and Get Premium Credit Checks For Only $10/check from your Home or Office Computer.
It Really Is the Landlord Deal of a Life Time!
