How to get good tenants

 

The most important aspect to a good tenant relationship is a screening to make sure you have good people as tenants.

 

Once you have good tenants , it is your duty to make sure they remain good tenants by treating them respectfully, respecting their right to privacy, seeing that the property is well maintained and honouring all the commitments you have made to them as a landlord.

 

How does one screen for good tenants?

•Meet your prospective tenants personally.  Are they pleasant and respectful?

•Engage them in a conversation to find out about them.  Do they appear to get on with others?  Do they have “attitude”? Ask them about their studies. Are they serious students? Ask about their families. Do they come from stable backgrounds?

•Explain very clearly to them what you are offering and the type of tenants you want. For example:  “I am only interested in serious students; if you are looking for a party house, you need to find a different landlord.”

•You will need to be a little flexible.  For example, they may ask you if it is OK if neighbours know about the party, and are respectful about keeping the noise down, a party once in awhile is not a problem.

•Get them to complete the application forms for renting.

 

Applications forms have a number of uses

FORM 1 is used for the following:

•To gain information on the student – first year or mature student?

•Past landlord, work references

•Provide a record of contact with student’s phone, cell, e-mail, emergency contacts etc

•Ability to pay is not part of this application because most students do not have a regular income and are supported by parents or loans.

 

SAMPLE FORM 1

  TENANCY APPLICATION

____________________________________

(PROPERTY)

FULL NAME OF APPLICANT: ......................................................................................................

AGE: .............................................

FACULTY: ..........................................  MAJOR: ................................ YEAR OF STUDY: .....

NAME 0F PARENT(S): ........................................................................................................

                                         ........................................................................................................

 PARENT(S) ADDRESS(ES): ...............................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

PARENT(S) TELEPHONE(S): Area Code: ......... # ..................................................Home

                                                                      .......... # ..................................................Work

                                                                      ...........# ..................................................Home

                                                                      .......... # ................................................. Work

EMPLOYER’S NAME, ADDRESS & TELEPHONE: (If applicable)

......................................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................

CURRENT ADDRESS IN LONDON: ............................................................................................

TELEPHONE #............................................................E-MAIL: .................................................................

NAME AND TELEPHONE OF CURRENT LANDLORD: .......................................................... ......................................................................................................................................................

 

VEHICLE: Make .................................... Model.......................................Colour:..................

 

Plate # ............................... Province ......................

 

PERSONS TO CONTACT IN AN EMERGENCY:

 

Name: ............................................................... Telephone: ..........................Relationship:.............

Name: ................................................................Telephone: ..........................Relationship: ...........

 

NON FAMILY REFERENCES:

1. ............................................................................................................................................

2. ............................................................................................................................................

3. ............................................................................................................................................

 

Signed:……………………………………       Date: ……………………….

 

GUARANTEE OF RENTAL PERFORMANCE or PARENTAL GUARANTEE

•Ability to pay is really taken care of in Parental Guarantee.  Parents refusing to sign the parental guarantee give you the message that their child is a risky tenant.

•One way to explain the Parental Guarantee is that it is for the protection of the individual.  The guaranty limits the liability of the other students if one student does not pay or drops out. 

 

SAMPLE FORM 2

 GUARANTEE OF RENT PERFORMANCE OF

TENANT(S)’S OBLIGATIONS

SCHEDULE “A” OF TENANCY AGREEMENT

DATE:    …………………………

BETWEEN JOHN DOE  and ………………………………………………………..

                                                                      (PARENT OR GUARANTOR)

FOR:    ……………………………………………………………………………………..

                                                                      (PROPERTY)

 

In consideration of making this lease, I hereby covenant and agree with the Landlord named herein, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, in the payment of the rent or the performance of the covenants contained therein, on his and their part to be paid and performed, I will pay the said rent and any arrears thereof that may remain due, and also all damages that may arise in consequence of the non-performance of the said covenants or of them and it shall not be necessary to notify me of any default.

 

Not withstanding the bankruptcy or insolvency of the tenant, my ability as guarantor hereunder shall continue, provided that if the trustee in bankruptcy disclaims all interest in the lease, then the lease shall vest in me the guarantor as tenant for the remainder of the term of the lease. 

 

This guaranty extends to all Tenancy Renewals, whether fixed term or monthly, by

 

…………………………………………………… in the above premises.

                           (TENANT)

Such guarantee to be limited to the above noted Tenant’s pro rata share of rent and damages however caused.  This guarantee in no way limits the rights and remedies available to the Landlord against the Tenants pursuant to the terms of the lease.

 

                                             WITNESSED BY:……………………………………………

SIGNED:  ……………………………………………………………..

                                    (PARENTS’ OR GUARANTOR’S SIGNATURE)

NAME:  ……………………………………………………………….

                                     (PLEASE PRINT)

ADDRESS:  ……………………………………………………………

                     ……………………………………………………………

PHONE:  …………………………………………………………

 

FORM 3 is used to assess whether the group is compatible and also as proof that you are renting to a “family” of students so that your premises is not considered a rooming house by the authorities.

 

SAMPLE FORM 3

GROUP APPLICATION FORM

(This information is to let us know about you as a group, not just as individuals.)

 

Names of persons in group sharing:

……………………………………………                ………………………………………

……………………………………………                ……………………………………..

……………………………………………                …………………………………….

 

Please answer the following questions:

1. How do you know each other?

Same Class/Courses

Residence

Through Family

High School friends

Do not really know each other

Advertisement to share

Other

2. How long have you know each other

3.Have you ever shared accommodation together?

4. Who will be the Group contact?

………………………………………………

5. Will you be sharing:

meals and cooking

groceries

clean up duties

phone landline

TV cable/satellite

Internet

 

It is a good idea to show your prospective tenants the Tenancy Agreement you will be using. The agreement shown below is one example of the type of agreement available.

 

 

 

  SAMPLE TENANCY AGREEMENT

 

This lease is between: ……………………………………………………………………….(the Tenants)

and JOE DOE (the Landlord), for the rental of the house at 154 RAILWAY Street, London, Ontario for a period from 1st May 2008 to 30th April 2009.

The rent is $1,700 per month,  $425.00 per room

 

•Rent to be paid on the first day of each month at the address designated by the landlord for the full term of the lease.

 

The landlord acknowledges receiving, (from each tenant),  first and last month’s rent according to the breakdown of rents shown above.

 

Landlord pays for the following:

•Property Taxes

•Hot Water Rental

•Grass cutting and landscaping

•Maintenance and repairs

•House insurance but not contents insurance (Tenants must arrange their own contents insurance if required)

•Water

•Electricity

•Gas

 

The Landlord shall provide and maintain the premises in a good state of repair and fit for habitation and complying with municipal health, safety and maintenance standards.

 

Tenants pay for the following:

•Internet Cable

•Cable TV

•Telephone

•Snow Clearing  (usually done by tenants)

 

The tenants undertake the following:

•To be responsible for all damage to the property caused by the tenants or their visitors

•To maintain the interior and exterior of the premises clean and tidy

•Not to light any fires on the premises (Gas BBQ is permitted in the rear yard)

•Not to tamper or disable fire/smoke detectors and to report any malfunction of these devices immediately

•Not to paint any rooms on the premises. (The Landlord will paint if room is in disrepair)

•To inform the Landlord immediately if  any repairs are required, in particular any water leaks or electrical problems

•No furniture to be placed or used on the front lawn ( Any fines from the City for this infraction will be paid by the tenants)

•Not to change any locks with out the written permission of the landlord ( Tenants will be charged the costs of a locksmith if required to open and re-key any locks)

•To place all garbage in the sealed containers provided by the landlord and place garbage on the curb on the allotted days for municipal garbage pick-up

•Not to park vehicles on the lawn

•Not to disturb any neighbors or any other tenant residing on the premises, and to respect that they are occupying a home in a residential family neighborhood and to act and behave accordingly.

Tenants are aware that there is ONE lease for the entire house and should the tenants wish to renew the lease after May 1st, 2007, the new lease will be  $1,510.00 per month under the same conditions as shown in this lease, irrespective of how many tenants are willing to renew. The right to sublease will not be with held unreasonably.

It is understood and agreed that the tenants shall allow the landlord access to the apartment for the purpose of renting the said dwelling for the following year. Typically,  the landlord starts showing on or about the first week of January. It is further understood that existing tenants shall provide the landlord written notice of their intention to renew or not to renew  their lease by January 15th of that academic year.

Schedule “A” attached to this lease, forms an integral part of this lease.

 

Signed by Tenants:

 1……………………………………………………Date:

2………………………………………………………Date:

3……………………………………………………….Date:

4……………………………………………………….Date:

Signed by Landlord: …………………………………Date:

Joe Doe

Side Drive, London, ON   N6V 2R8 (Telephone: 519   519-5194)

e-mail: joedoe@rogers.com

 

 

Tenants’ acknowledgement of receipt of copy of lease:

1……………………………………..      

2……………………………………..      

3.……………………………………

4. …………………………………

Date: ……………………………