How can my son effectively screen tenants?

[worriemama]

He brought a house in London. He now wants a tenant. How can he find people who:

1. Aren't criminals/dangerous people
2. Won't treat him badly and steal from him etc.
3. Would pay their rent on time
4. Don't tend to smoke/take drugs/host loud parties

Can he make his tenants go though a basic dbs check? Shall he look at their CVs and ask for character references?
Shall he only room with teachers, childcare workers and the like?
Is there an agency he can use?

How do prospective tenants know your Son isn’t a dangerous crack addicted pervert thief?

Get an agency to vet tenants. Take out landlord insurance.

We have btl, have always used agents.

He can ask for a reference from a former landlord.

He can't specify that tenants can't smoke, only that they don't spoke indoors in the property. It's none of his business what they do outside the flat.

There are a number of agencies in most cities. There must be loads in London. He should be able to find one with good reviews online, if he doesn't know anyone else renting out a property in London who can recommend him anything.

There's no profession that comes with a guarantee of being a tenant who will keep the flat in a good condition, cause no damage, and be a responsible person. There's always some element of risk - and consider that there is also a risk that comes to the tenants about what your son will be like as a landlord re: whether he is himself a dodgy and dangerous person, whether he will be responsive in carrying out repairs and will respect the legal responsibilities that come with being a landlord. He/you sound a little clueless.

Are they lodgers sharing with him?

Then he asks for references, intefviews thm, agrees a trial period of one month

Or renting the whole property themselves? Then go thru an agency

He is looking for a roommate

He can always share his LinkedIn with them to prove that he is in a respectable professional job

There’s your answer then, ask them for their LinkedIn.

Shouldn’t he be doing this kind of research himself ?

I rented a room to a lodger for several years. I made a list of house rules - things like no smoking, do washing up straight after a meal, no groups of friends round after 11pm, etc - things that i knew were important to make it work for me. I then took photos of the room and advertised it on gumtree - there's other sites too I think now. I then invited 4 people who applied round to meet them and them to see the room. When meeting them we discussed things like what we did for a living, hobbies and I showed them the house rules and asked if they looked ok. I then offered the room to the one I liked best. You can go on anything you like if it's a lodger in your own home - someone who seems trustworthy and you'd get on with. (I had kids at the time too so they were there when we met the prospective lodgers)

He should ask them to set up a direct debit for the rent at the start of each month. A rent that's inclusive of all bills is normal for lodgers.

Why you are asking this? Let him sort it out himself.

If your son can't figure this out himself he probably isn't organised and competent enough to be a landlord or have a lodger.

roommate as in someone sharing his bedroom? Tenant as in someone renting the property from him while he lives elsewhere? Lodger? Has he got contracts sorted, ready for the roommate/tenant/lodger? Surely he’d know himself how to vet a bedroom sharer/lodger, and the legalities, if he’s planned this?

This is something I am helping him with as he is busy with work. He is my only child so we are very close

He definitely needs to be clear that they'll be a lodger, not a tenancy and he needs an agreement for a lodger, not to accidentally get them to sign a shorthold tenancy or something similar.

He can always share his LinkedIn with them to prove that he is in a respectable professional job

You do realise that you can put any old job you like on linkedin? Its not vetted or checked! I could claim to be an astronaut with NASA for the past 20yrs! If this is your idea how your son can prove that HE isn't a druggie criminal- then best of luck 😂

He can ask for basic dbs checks ... I hear u can do one yourself without making your employer do it

Rent it out through an agency. They do all the financial and background checks for you, they will sort out any maintenance issues, provide insurance in case of non payment of rent and offer legal advice. Well worth the fees.

@KnickerlessParsons Its actually a room mate he wants, not to rent the property out! The OP wasn't clear.

Why don’t you move in, OP?

Don’t know where he works, or if he’d even want to share with a colleague but if he can advertise there then obviously he’ll know they’re vouched for. Or friend of friend, that sort of thing. My cousin found his house share in London through a mate of his brother’s who was looking to fill a room after his previous housemate moved in with a girlfriend. Also he needs to be clear whether he wants a tenant or a lodger. Presumably it’s a lodger but they’re quite different things so he needs to be specific.

You need to ask mnhq to edit your OP. He doesn't want a tenant, he wants a houseshare.

So he needs to place an ad on Spare room.com. Peope will apply, he gets to ask them whatever questions he wants, they get to ask him whatever questions they want, then he arranges multiple appointments one day where he meets them all (or those on his shortlist) and gets a feel for who he's comfortable living with. And of course they get to decide whether they're comfortable living with him.

Why not go in business together?

Bates Motel.

The last thing he wants is to do it through an agency. He needs to meet and choose the person he lives with. Not leave it to an agent to decide.

A DBS check only discloses convictions plenty dodgy folk never get caught. Surely when he interviews then he can set out ground rules and get a feel for them.