Unpaid bills, damage, nuisances in the neighbourhood: like all landlords, you fear the potential misfortunes of your future tenant… Ideally, you would like to find an occupant who respects all the rules, pays his rent on time, takes care of the accommodation and is considerate towards other residents (especially in buildings). How can you ensure that your next lease will run smoothly? By taking a few precautions, you increase your chances of renting serenely!
Require proof of resources and rent receipts
As a landlord, you are entitled to consult administrative documents proving that the prospective tenant can pay his rent, and already presents himself as a regular tenant in his current dwelling. To do this, be aware that you cannot require all documents: for example, it is forbidden to ask for account statements, because they concern privacy. On the other hand, prefer people who are able to provide you with their last three pay slips (preferably with a stable professional situation) and recent rent receipts. Pay slips make it possible to compare the level of resources with the amount of the rent: ideally, the latter should not represent more than one third of the salary, at the risk of putting the tenant in difficulty. For their part, proof of paid rent proves that your candidate is up to date.
“It is forbidden to request account statements, as they concern privacy.”
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Engage in dialogue to get to know each other
You want to know who will occupy your accommodation: this seems completely normal! Of course, you can try to initiate the conversation around your interlocutor’s interests, hobbies and future projects. In this way, you will be able to better understand him/her, acquiring an idea of seriousness, maturity and reliability. In addition, you can ask if he wants a long-term rental or if he doesn’t think he’ll stay long on the site. Indeed, if you also find someone who is looking to settle in for several years, you gain in peace, because you will not have to start prospecting again after only a few months. Nevertheless, this conversation must remain politically correct: do not interfere in the privacy of the future tenant, do not try to know his or her religious beliefs or sexual orientation if he or she does not want to talk about it. Remember that discrimination, including discrimination in the rental of property, is heavily punished.
“If you also find someone who is looking to settle for several years, you gain in peace, because you won’t have to start prospecting again after a few months.”
Entrust the rental management to a real estate agency
The search for new occupants may seem complicated for individuals who are not familiar with all the subtleties of the environment. In addition, later on, the steps involved in rental management may also lead to some difficulties: it is necessary to relaunch unpaid bills, plan repairs and the part of the maintenance for which you are responsible. If you want to relieve yourself of all these heavy burdens, entrust the management of your property to a real estate agency. The latter will replace you in all stages, from the search for occupants to the inventory of fixtures, including the fight against unpaid bills and maintenance. Each month, the agency will pay you your rents by deducting a percentage defined in advance, corresponding to the amount of their service provision.
