Vetting Strategies - How to find out who tenants truly are?

[patrick100]

Hi everyone, I'm an architect currently doing research on interactions between landlords and tenants within the residential rental market. Unfortunately have had some bad experiences recently, particularly with identity fraud by tenants falsifying identities in a sophisticated manner.

I would be very interested to hear from landlords and owners willing to share their tenant horror stories and what they thought would have helped them avoid these tenants at the beginning! Is it possible to build up trust quickly between both parties?

Trying to understand what improvements can be made at the vetting stage to benefit both sides and avoid painful outcomes. It seems like standard procedures don't necessarily give an indication of who someone is.

Grateful for any comments.

[donna]

Hi patrick100

Welcome to PropertyTalk. What's your interest in this topic? Just keen to know if it's to do with design i.e. your profession or are you writing a white paper for someone?

With privacy a hot topic vetting is an interesting challenge. We've got some valuable discussions on it on PropertyTalk.

cheers,

Donna

[eri]

driver's licence, passport, photo id

and as they say on airline tickets, exact spelling of name as on the id is the only form acceptable for the TA and related searches

[klauster]

Vetting strategy? Not sure what you are looking for; putting people in boxes labeled, good, bad, etc?

Successful businesses are based on trust, relationships and risk management.
What do you want to know - how to do due diligence to build trust, dealing with partners in contractual relationships, or how to manage your own risks when it comes to your specific business model?

[Perry]

Vetting strategy? Not sure what you are looking for; putting people in boxes labeled, good, bad, etc?

No different to assessing a job applicant, isn't it, Klauster? No stereo-typing involved. Just good applicant data on which to base an informed decision.

[ChiefWigum]

Google their name.

[Perry]

Plus, it comes back to something I said earlier.

Oh, you're a WINZ dependant?

O.K. Please go see Housing NZ.

The more they meddle, the worse it gets for those whom the comrade-socio-commies are supposedly trying to help.

Shock! Horror!

But no surprises there. Least not for those of us who live in the real world.

[Learning]

Google their name.

Their real name (as on drivers license), the name given on the application, the name their references know them as and the name they gave their former LL.

Actually if you've found they go by that many names it should probably be a quick -
"thanks for your interest but unfortunately you've been unsuccessful this time..."

[Keys]

How long have you used your current cell phone number?

[patrick100]

Hi everyone,

thanks for all the feedback.

Really apart from all the identity and credit checks, trying to understand what type of tenant they will be now and finding references that actually give a proper overview of this.

Thought a review system of some type would be handy so that I can get a good feeling of how the tenant has behaved over successive tenancies not just the immediate past one where the landlord might be trying to get rid of them so has given me a good reference just so they become my problem.

Also realistically how much does a person's employee know what they will be like as a tenant and how they live?

I do invest a lot of time trying to get to know my tenants but ultimately I'm still using gut instinct to judge if they will be good or not.

Sadly going to tenancy tribunal next week to try and sort out my issue.

[erinak]

How long have you used your current cell phone number?

Have I lost the plot here? Why? Maybe a durr ???

[Perry]

A "durr" being pidgin English for what?

[erinak]

Lol Perry.

An expression of a "Dumb, dunce" question.

[eri]

dodgy people often move through phone numbers quickly

the only way it seems to keep creditors ringing them up and asking for payment

sterling individuals however often have the first number they ever got

does this make me some kind of "phonist"?

is "phonism" wrong?

[Re@der]

My number 1 follows Perrys suggestion. After 15 years of vetting tenants is never listen to a story of why someone needs a house. Always pick the solid employed earner with verifiable tenancy and employment record. (WINZ problems soon become your problem almost without exception)