selecting tenant for house

As the owner of the house, it helps one to choose the right kind of tenant before one decides to give for tent.

The most important single factor is to verify if  the property  would be safe in the tenant's hands hands

Ability to pay the rent regularly on a fixed date, the tenant's marital status, that is bachelor or married, food habits, pets are to be verified at the very outset

You have a good choice but I prefer not to keep tenants at all. I used to give two spare sets to engineering students (2 boys per set) from distant areas but now I prefer not to let out my spare space. That's good for mental peace.

Yes. I have a choice. That's why, I did not let my flat. Earlier, i had a an individual house which i had given for rent as I had to work in another state. The tenants made my house like a  ware house. This taught me a lesson. Now I have a big flat in a prime locality. We are only two members residing in Vizag. Still I did not rent my Flat.

 

We used to rent out the upper portion of our house which is a self contained 3 bedroom house for many years now .  normally giving it out for 11 months with legal rent deed and change it when it is renewed after the period ... Now, it is being painted and done up so been empty for more than 6 months . But it is not at all a problem here renting out properties and we have had no problems at all..

Most of you here are owners and are only sharing your opinion from that perspective. I don't agree that only Air Force soldiers pay rent on time, I along with my family has been staying in various apartments as tenants, but to date, we have never been late for paying rent on time. It is not just few sections of people who pay rent on time or not, it is attitude of people who you rent out a place. That can be judged by talking to the person and a doing a background check of what the person does or where s/he works.

Just like it is important to rent out property to good tenants, it is equally important to choose good tenants. I myself was almost duped when one of the owners denied getting the rent via check, although I got an email and an sms that the money has been paid. And the owner said that he had not received any money, so I gave him cash too, then on getting the sms, I had to show him the lost of transactions to get the money back. Again it boils down to the  attitude of the people per say not any particular section or class of people.

 

Mousumi Ghosh wrote:

Most of you here are owners and are only sharing your opinion from that perspective. I don't agree that only Air Force soldiers pay rent on time, I along with my family has been staying in various apartments as tenants, but to date, we have never been late for paying rent on time. It is not just few sections of people who pay rent on time or not, it is attitude of people who you rent out a place. That can be judged by talking to the person and a doing a background check of what the person does or where s/he works.

Just like it is important to rent out property to good tenants, it is equally important to choose good tenants. I myself was almost duped when one of the owners denied getting the rent via check, although I got an email and an sms that the money has been paid. And the owner said that he had not received any money, so I gave him cash too, then on getting the sms, I had to show him the lost of transactions to get the money back. Again it boils down to the  attitude of the people per say not any particular section or class of people.

I mentioned air force as my house is located near air Force station and the newly posted persons need rented accommodation till they are allotted government accommodation. actually this depends more on location of property.  During govt. service, I also lived in rented house. My father got his own house only after his retirement. so before that, the entire family lived in rented accommodation.  

Let me explain this from tenant's viewpoint. I preferred accommodation near my place of work so that I may not have to travel more. Some office colleague would introduce me to house owner. I also preferred such accommodation where the house owner does not himself live in the same house or at least there is no common facility like bathroom that could be cause of trouble. Generally, it is easier to get accommodation on rent if you are a transferable employee. 

 

Giving accommodation on rent to someone needy is not a bad idea! It ensures proper use of the capital invested. But for some time, it has been seen that the accommodation is vacant and the needy is not able to get it because of the bad experience of the land lord with the tenants previously. Some landlords have become very choosy and some tenants too do not handle the property with full sincerity. For some people, getting rent on the accommodation spare with them becomes a source of income/bread and butter. For them, an ideal tenant is required. If the tenant does not exercise due care of the property, it pinches very much as sometime the amount of the repairs exceeds the rental income. Therefore, a change in attitude of the tenants is required to make the process of renting out an accommodation and taking on rent some accommodation more smooth. Since the accommodations lying vacant in a city for a long period make the investment idle and become, sometime, smart target for the illegal activities, it would be better if there is some corruption free mechanism reintroduced on the district administration level for controlling the properties on rent. There be an effective District Properties Rent Officer to control the properties lying vacant in the district. The officer may take over the properties lying vacant in the district and keep a register of them. He may invite the interests from the persons intending to take on rent some property in the district and allot the properties one by one meeting the requirement of the tenants to the maximum extent after fixing the rent as per circle rates for a specific period. Before giving the property and taking back, an assessment report be prepared regarding the maintenance of the property. If some tenant is not found suitable in the locality on account of his behaviour or he does not vacate the properties after the specific date, he can be easily put out by the district authority. This will ensure proper use of the national wealth as well as timely payment of the rent while ensuring the proper maintenance of the property.

I'm against giving my residence for rent. Though my 3 BR flat is spacious and right now the residents are only two. I and my wife. My children live in different parts of the country and abroad. Because my flat is located in a prime locality, i know it fetches a good sum for rent. The reason for my refusal to give my flat for rent is, My children whenever they come for a holiday, I should keep my flat ready. This is not possible if I give it for rent.

I would like to second the opinion of @Mousumi Ghosh in totality. The main problem is in attitude be it an owner or a tenant. I stay in a rented house and till date had no problem with the owner. The worst approach of some owners is that if some one wants a place for rent then they are usually looked down. The owners consider themselves supremo and they treat their tenants as subordinates. Once this attitude is changed for the better then automatically a bond will be created and tenants will take care of the rented house as their own. The owners speak rudely, create water dispute, a day or two delay in rent payment is made to be a big issue, joint electricity meter is made a hassle for the tenant and so on. On the other hand, some tenants love to pick up verbal fight with the owners or deliberately make an issue of a non-issue. So, both are equally responsible for all the problem between them. A little understanding and humane thought can make the owner and the tenant relationship a good and sporting one.

I don't like to give my house for rent. At present I have not enough accommodation to rent. But before some years I had but I never give it for rent. Privacy is only and only reason for it.

There can be many reasons for a person not to give their accommodation on rent but when someone does not want to give rent only because of an ill feeling regarding the tenants then that is very unacceptable. One should not blame the tenants in general.

Shampa Sadhya wrote:

I would like to second the opinion of @Mousumi Ghosh in totality. The main problem is in attitude be it an owner or a tenant. I stay in a rented house and till date had no problem with the owner. The worst approach of some owners is that if some one wants a place for rent then they are usually looked down. The owners consider themselves supremo and they treat their tenants as subordinates. Once this attitude is changed for the better then automatically a bond will be created and tenants will take care of the rented house as their own. The owners speak rudely, create water dispute, a day or two delay in rent payment is made to be a big issue, joint electricity meter is made a hassle for the tenant and so on. On the other hand, some tenants love to pick up verbal fight with the owners or deliberately make an issue of a non-issue. So, both are equally responsible for all the problem between them. A little understanding and humane thought can make the owner and the tenant relationship a good and sporting one.

Bonding between the tenant and Rent bond (agreement) keep things under control. Some people might be bad as tenant or landlords but most are good and maintain a good relation. For not giving out ones spare space on rent has many reasons which might not have anything to do with fight or distrust extra but personal privacy or peace of mind. In my case my two spare sets are in the same premises on second floor which I used to give on rent but no more as most of the private engineering, MBA and B.Ed colleges have been closed in our state which were the best source of good tenants as I preferred unmarried people (esp boys as they avoid cooking and washing at home).      

 

Basically it should be the house owner who should let out the house on his or her terms because afterall it is their house and they also know their neighborhood and their own expectations as to what kind of tenants they want. Once an agreement is entered into where all the conditions have been put down, one should give space to each other as long as there is no overstepping from both sides.

It is also mandatory in my city now to provide the tenants details , their previous owners names and their own place of dwelling and their office address with a recent photograph to the local police station after we had several cases where questionable characters posing mostly as Hindus were renting our houses in the city area and were later found to be plotting something or the other..

Recently there were cases of anti social elements taking houses for rent and indulging anti social activities. I have seen in Bangalore some flats have their own security systems. Before employing a new employee as cleaners or house maids, the people who live in the flats are asked to inform the security of the flat and they will check the antecedents of the new recruit.

There are rare cases of criminals taking advantage even if you take your best precaution but that does not mean that people will not rent their houses out or you will not get a house when you go to a new place. I have been a tenant for years during my postings in different areas.

I meant only to take precautions before deciding the tenant. Generally either my wife or myself check where he was residing  earlier and the reasons for leaving the earlier house or apartment. This much of care should be exercised to avoid future problems.

 

There is no harm in inquiring about the tenant's background. That's absolutely fine and certainly the owners must have the last say but the problem arises when after everything gets fixed and then the landlord or the tenant become pesky regarding every matter. Both the sides should learn to keep a safe distance until and unless an emergency comes up.

I was once Land lord for some time and for some time a tenant. By virtue of this, I learned that establishing food relations between Owner and tenant always pays. Else living becomes a hell for both. Everyday some issues arise which i'm sure not good for both.

 

Since I have never ever rented any property, I have no idea how a tenant feels about renting out ! But all said and done it is give and take where both parties have to come to an agreement and stick to the terms ! I had a problem once not from the tenants but from my neighbors who did not want the particular couple who were renting our upstairs because the couple were in a live in relationship. Honestly , it should not have made any difference because until the revelation came , they were both treated with a lot of affection and respect but things changed overnight and the neighbors began putting pressure on me saying they were setting a bad example to the neighborhood blah blah ...

I stood firm and told my neighbors that I cannot violate the terms for a flimsy reason like that since the tenants besides being highly educated were very co operative and genuinely nice ...Any way the couple themselves left after 2 months ! It was a very unpleasant experience, also showed the attitude of my neighbors who I thought were very broad minded until then , going by the way they spoke and came across ..