How to Vet Tenants with Pre-Viewing Questions

We have put together a list of pre-viewing questions you can ask prospective tenants to make sure they’re a good match for your property.

Finding reliable and responsible tenants is one of the most important steps in the process of renting out your property.

That’s why using pre-viewing questions is a savvy way to attract the right tenants – they can provide valuable insights into their background, lifestyle, and, ultimately, how well they fit with your property.

To make your renting experience hassle-free, OpenRent lets you set up pre-screening questions to make sure you find the perfect match for your property.

1. Vetting tenants with OpenRent
2. What questions should I ask a prospective tenant?

Vetting tenants with OpenRent

To streamline the process of finding your ideal tenant, we’ve introduced a cutting-edge pre-screening feature that allows landlords to send potential tenants a set of questions before arranging a viewing.

When applicants express interest, they’re prompted to answer a series of questions tailored to the specific criteria you’ve set in your listing, such as whether they have pets or are DSS tenants.

Rest assured, we ensure they meet your requirements before granting them the ability to request a property viewing.

This efficient process ensures that only high-quality enquiries are considered, saving both you and the potential tenant valuable time.

Of course, you can later get an in-depth overview of prospective tenants and their guarantors, through our reliable tenant referencing checks.

What questions should I ask a prospective tenant?

We reached out to successful OpenRent landlords to find out the questions they usually ask potential tenants before moving forward with their application.

Here are some of the top queries favoured by our landlords:

• What’s your preferred move-in date?
• How many people are planning to live in the property?
• What is your relationship with any other potential tenants?
• The rent is £xxx. How do you plan to cover it? (e.g., regular job income, freelance work, savings, benefits, assistance from someone else, etc.)
• What is your annual income?
• Can you provide a guarantor if needed?
• Can you offer references from your previous landlord and/or employer if requested?

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Confirm the details in your advert

Encourage tenants to double-check any information highlighted in your advert. For example, if your ad specifies ‘no pets,’ make sure to include a direct question like, ‘Do you have any pets?’

This tactic helps you avoid wasting time dealing with tenants who might have missed important details in your advertisement. OpenRent automatically does this through Default Screening when enabled.

You can easily apply the same approach by asking the following questions:

• The property is un/furnished. Is this suitable?
• Are you a smoker?
• Do you currently have any pets?
• Are you a student?
• Do you require parking? 
• Do you require a garden?
• The minimum tenancy length will be # months. Is this suitable?

Remember: You’re not a referencing company!

These questions can’t replace the thorough checks done by a professional referencing company. Pre-screening is simply to ensure that everyone at the viewing has a fair chance of securing the property.

It’s relatively easy for dishonest tenants to provide false information or documentation to landlords, but considerably more challenging to do the same with a professional referencing service.

So, it’s best to leave questions such as the ones outlined below to the professionals:

• Do you have any CCJs?
• What is your credit score?
• Have you ever been evicted?
• Have you ever faced issues with rent arrears?
• Do you earn more than three times the rent?
• Do you have any unspent convictions?

For only £20, OpenRent gives you the option to choose either a speedy or comprehensive reference check for potential tenants and their guarantors.

This service provides you with an analysis of their financial standing, credit score, and risk assessment, allowing you to make well-informed renting decisions with ease.

When using this feature, landlords should prioritise maintaining a respectful and fair approach. It’s very important to use the pre-screening tool responsibly and with consideration, fostering a sense of professionalism and understanding.

Treating prospective tenants with respect and dignity can create a positive and welcoming atmosphere that encourages trust and cooperation from the outset of the renting journey.

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