For a property owner in Palm Springs, California, dealing with a professional tenant can be one of the biggest challenges. Allowing these residents into your residential property can result in a waste of both time and money while creating ongoing headaches.
What do real estate investors need to know about these difficult renters? Our Palm Springs property management team has provided helpful information on how landlords can identify and stay clear of professional tenants. We also deliver some insights into what to do if you've made a mistake and currently have one of these terrible residents in your property!
Who is a Professional Tenant?
Professional tenants, also known as serial squatters, are renters that know how to exploit loopholes in rental laws and lease agreements to take advantage of rental property owners. For example, a professional tenant can create maintenance issues and use them to dodge your efforts to collect rent. They also know how to extend the duration needed to evict them by working the court system so they can stay on your property for longer than they need to.
These residents never intend to be "good" tenants. Learning to recognize the red flags helps rental property owners avoid the costly mistake of allowing professional tenants into your rentals!
How Can You Identify a Professional Tenant?
Identifying a professional tenant in the Palm Springs area is not easy. In many cases, you might not realize you're dealing with one until after they move in.
While these renters are very good at presenting themselves as "good" potential renters, there are some elements you can watch out for during the screening process to help you identify serial squatters.
A Palm Springs, CA property manager can help you recognize these red flags:
- A record of several evictions
- Applicants who do not hesitate to share their views regarding rental laws and regulations in the Palm Springs area
- Adverse credit events, such as judgments and bankruptcies on their credit reports
- Fake or unreachable references (or references that tell the same story)
- Significant gaps in their rental history
- Applicants who offer to pay deposits and a month or two of rent in cash (and ask you to skip the background check)
If you see any of these signs or behaviors, it's best to deny the applicant a place in your rental home. Palm Springs property managers can help you work through the screening process and identity "truly" good potential residents to place instead!
How to Avoid Professional Tenants
The best way to deal with professional tenants is to avoid them! The first step is recognizing the signs we mentioned above—but how can you see those red flags? Applying a thorough screening process is the best way to highlight warning signs of a bad prospective resident and keep them out of your rentals.
Your review and placement process should include:
- A thorough (and legal) rental application to collect critical screening information
- Credit history and background checks that fully comply with FCRA regulations
- Avoiding renters with a history of evictions, late payments, or defaults
- Checking all the references (taking note of those you cannot contact after several tries)
- Following Fair Housing laws throughout the process
If you're not sure how to set up a thorough process that follows the law, hiring a full-service property management company is a smart idea. They have the skills and expertise to implement a thorough screening process to prevent a professional tenant in your property.
Manage Tenants With a Property Manager
The best way to protect your property from professional tenants and manage all residents effectively is by hiring a reliable rental management company. Once you have a professional management service taking care of your property, professional tenants stop viewing it as an easy target.
Your rentals become less enticing to bad renters and professional tenants when they know an expert rental management company is running the screening, placement, and leasing processes. While these residents can easily prey on stand-alone landlords that don't have the resources to recognize red flags during the review process, they will steer clear of your rentals with a professional manager in place.
Dealing with bad renters who already live in your properties is easier with a property manager, too! While they work to reduce the potential of allowing bad residents in, they also have the experience and resources in place to enforce the lease and late rent collection when needed.
Get Professional Property Management Help for Professional Tenants!
Professional tenants are difficult to avoid and hard to get rid of! The best to reduce the risk of these costly problems is to work with a Palm Springs property management company.
McLean Company has the resources local investors need to protect their rentals from bad and professional tenants. Our screening process reduces the risks of tenants who don't pay the rent or follow the rules. We know that property owners make more money when we deliver quality tenants! If you're ready for better residents and fewer costly tenant problems, let's chat.
