Tenant Selection – Part Art, Part Science.
In our business, we regularly meet landlords Pre- viewing, what types of things are we when things go wrong. This can be for many looking for? reasons but, by far the most common, are issues with tenants. Strangely, given this fact, • Kindness, consideration and politeness tenant selection often takes a back seat and (will someone speak to my team, with is either assigned to a junior member of staff the same level of respect that they would or, treated like a process requiring form filling, give to me or to my tenant manager or a cursory glance and a credit check. a person they perceive to be a decision maker) Without a doubt referencing is crucial, but we view it as only one part of the tenant selection • Rudeness (are they rude, arrogant or procedure. We look at tenant selection as part unnecessarily abrupt) science and part art, where the referencing – (right to rent checks, credit checks, • Consistency (do they contradict references) make up the Science and the themselves, or are they telling lies) interpersonal equation makes up the Art. • If it’s an HMO, will they be a good mix for Often landlords and letting agents attempt to the house (discuss this with them, it’s for speed up and short circuit the tenant their benefit as much as the rest of the selection process with the use of online forms house) and systems. Is it any wonder, in areas of high demand, where you can be dealing with • Do their needs and wants accord with the hundreds of enquiries for every vacancy. landlord’s (again this is for their benefit The problem here is that by using only forms as much as the landlord’s – make sure to and systems, you can run the risk of missing discuss any pertinent issues with them) crucial touch points. If you couple this with a cursory viewing, then this isn’t really tenant Following the above, will ensure that, by the selection at all – it’s a “first come, first served time you get to the viewing, you will have a buffet” where your property is on the menu good sense of the applicant. Also, the and your sanity is given to chance! There is applicant should have a greater sense of nothing wrong with a form, as a first stage you, and this will enable a more honest and procedure but don’t leave it there. You would relaxed atmosphere during the viewing. Allow be surprised by what kind of a “feel” you can 20-30 minutes for the appointment and relax get from an email exchange and/or a and remind yourself of the purpose of the telephone call. Couple this with a good quality meeting. viewing, where you have had 2/3 “touchpoints” beforehand, and you are leaving far less to chance! 32
