When you’re out there searching for a new apartment, you might be thinking about the qualities that landlords look for in their screening process. After all, they make a huge difference when it comes to getting approved and liked to get them to rent it out to you. You need to have a lot of qualities and to get approved and keep the apartment for as long as you can, so take a look at some of these important traits that can help you become the perfect tenant.
Have Good Credit History
This is very appealing to most landlords because they feel safer renting to someone who has the financial discipline and no bad history when it comes to money. So, make sure you have covered all your bases and always have a decent credit score. You can check your credit history and score through various credit reference agencies that can help provide you with the information, but your landlord will probably do that anyways during his/her screening process. So, hopefully, you won’t have any unpaid past bills or debts, but even if there are minor things, you could always appeal to your future landlord’s better nature and try to explain the situation from where you stand.
Have Decent Housekeeping Skills and Cleanliness
You can’t predict the future, so you can’t be sure that you will stay in that apartment forever, which is why you have to take good care of it and keep it clean during your tenancy. You don’t have to do it all by yourself if you can’t; you can rely on professionals that can do it for you. You should understand that the importance of finding the right cleaning service goes beyond random spring cleaning. It might be mandatory and stated in the contract/lease that you should always keep the apartment clean and in good condition, especially when it’s during the last days of your tenancy. So, be sure to hire professional cleaners and make a habit of keeping things clean and tidy. Also, ensure that you don’t damage anything in the property.
Secure Your Rent Payment
You must be able to afford your monthly rent, as this is the most important quality that a landlord would look for. Most of them would have the condition that your documented monthly income should be at least three times higher than the monthly rent. This happens because it’s their job to protect their investment, and they want to rest assured that you’d be able to pay. So, if you’re financially stable and responsible enough to meet their conditions, then you won’t have a problem, and your landlord will be happy.
Always Pay on Time
You must show a willingness to pay the rent on time, and you always need to respect that rule. If you are considered a late-paying tenant, then your landlord might suspect that you won’t pay at all in the future. So, you have to avoid stressing out your landlord when it comes to the monthly payments. You shouldn’t think they would benefit from the late payments because of the additional fees; it’s not good for you, and it’s a lot of extra paperwork and hassle for them.
Be Nice and Friendly
How you communicate and deal with your neighbors is a great way to show your landlord that you’re a worthy tenant. You have to be polite and show kindness to the people around you; even a simple smile or greeting can be enough to show that. Try to avoid any loud or violent clashes/arguments with your neighbors; if there are any concerns or problems between you and others, you should consult your landlord and have a healthy conversation to reach a solution to the specific problem. If you are calm, rational, and respectful during tense times like these, your landlord will see that you are a reasonable tenant and will continue to trust you.
Allow Easy Access
This is another thing you should prepare yourself for and come to terms with. Although your landlord would never enter your apartment without your permission, he/she could sometimes ask you to give them a chance to inspect the place, especially when they want to make certain changes to the infrastructure or utilities of the apartment. You need to understand that it’s their property after all; they are just entrusting you with it and renting it out to you, so it’s wise to give them space and let them do whatever they want when the time suits you both.
Handle Damages
This is another way to prove to your landlord that you are responsible. You have to show them that you are willing to pay for repairs to any damages that were caused by you, even if it was an accident. Over the years, when there’s significant wear and tear to the apartment, you are expected to deal with these damages accordingly and accept any billed payments for them. Other than that, it would be considered a gesture of goodwill, and your landlord would greatly appreciate that; this would enhance the relationship between you and play into your negotiations for a new lease in the future.
Avoid Illegal Activity
This is obviously something extremely important to every landlord; you cannot earn their trust at all if you are engaging in criminal activities. If you have no regard for the law, then your landlord will know for sure that you would have no regard for their policies and rules. Then, your plans for being the perfect tenant would be completely impossible to achieve. You should always stay safe and adhere to the law.
Understandably, you can’t be the best tenant in the world, but you can try to be as decent as you can. Perfection has so many levels of interpretation, so you just have to find the best place with a reasonable landlord. Even when things aren’t as good as they’d hope, it’s not the end for you. Try to follow the rules as much as you can and prove that you’re doing your best to be a good tenant.