pjscooby & other landlords ??

dimples112

What kind of questions do you ask when you call the previous landlords about their past tenants? Do you call anyone else to find out info about the people and what they are like? We have a couple that filled out an application and really want to move in but when I called their last landlord all she said is that she didn't want to say anything bad nor good about them, she didn't want to give any info. When I asked her is they paid their rent on time she said at the beginning they did but towards the end she doesn't know what was going on but she had to chase them for it but other than that they were good people. I know the couple said the previous apartment they lived at the roof had collapsed during the rain/wind storms we had last month and right now they are living with family bc the landlord had told them she didn't want them to get another apartment she would like them back but its just taking her ins co to fix the roof. Then their landlord before that they didn't leave a # for bc they said he lost the house so they had move out bc of that. Not really so what to belive. They seemed really nice people with 2 little girls, dh and i really don't want people that will give us trouble especially for the fact that we live on the 1st floor right now. TIA!!!

pjscooby

Not gonna lie, I've never called previous landlords.  Thankfully, we've only had bad luck with one couple out of the 4 times we've rented the apartment, but that wasn't for late payment.  

Reason I don't call landlords is, I've been a tenant myself.  When you have a sucky landlord who doesn't do repairs in a timely fashion or is just plain lazy, and you do something CRAZY like hold back the rent, they can say you were a bad tenant.  Hell, they can say whatever they want.  I ran a brothel in my last apartment, or I sold dope, ya know?  All it takes is for you to piss them off one time.

Plus, circumstances change.  The tenant we have now paid us every month the first of the month.  But then he lost his job.  So, if someone called for a reference I'd feel badly saying he doesn't pay on time.  It's not his fault, ya know?

So anyway, I use my gut quite honestly.  One thing I do too is google their names.  I did that with one couple we were almost going to rent to, and found out he had a bunch of domestic and DUI arrests. 

MS.JLT

I don't usually call them either.  I feel like they wouldn't put them as a reference if they were going to say something bad.  I do check credit / criminal records though.   Alot of time I will say is there anything you want to disclose before or if  I run this and they'll say no.....then I've had it come back they they are back on child support or something else.   I get it,  some people that rent have sucky credit, hell mine isn't perfect but If something comes back after they told me everything was fine not expecting me to run it than I question their honesty/morals.

pjscooby

I run credit checks too.

dimples112

how do you run the credit checks? do you have to pay a lawyer or real estate agent to run it? or do you do it yourself? TIA!!

RedSoxGalRI

I am not a landlord, but wanted to let you know that you can search people in RI through CourtConnectRI and criminal charges are listed there and it is free

pjscooby

I was able to run them where I used to work.  I worked at a real estate company.  Our Realtors would run them for people for a small fee.  It's definitely worth it.  I've been able to weed people out that way.  BUT, be sure that the rental application has a place for them to authorize you to run a credit check.  You can't do it without their authorization.  If the application doesn't specify this, then draw up a form separately for them to sign.

Jill070707

I call.  I understand the he said/she said thing, so I can see how it's not always valuable. But I try to get as much information as possible because we've had trouble with tenants and didn't really check up on them first.

Wedding18

Being someone who rents and just moved from a very crappy place with a ridiculously crappy landlord, I would say to take what the landlord says with a grain of salt. 

My last landlord said I was a pain in the butt because I complained that he left 2 inches of dog fur on the carpets and the I wanted to change out the disgusting dirty ceiling fan at my own expense among some other things such as it taking 3 hours to clean the fridge that I didn't realize before I first moved in.   One of the places he gave this reference too wanted to come by the house and make sure that my complaints were warranted (I let him, they were and I got the place but didn't take it) and this guy couldn't believe I actually moved in there.  So I talked to my original landlord who I rented from from Jan 09-Feb 11 and asked him if I could just say that I lived there through June.  He said that was fine. 

I also think that my honesty has helped me too.  I think the place that I am in now (which is perfect for me and Ella) the landlords knew I was being up front and honest with them and liked me because of that.   With the exception of stretching how long I was at the other place for.