What makes an attractive tenant?

[OppsUpsSide]

I am desperately trying to find a home, I have just seen the perfect rental come up. I will ring first thing but imagine there will be plenty of competition, so I am wondering, if you are a landlord, what do you look for in a tenant?

Interested in tenants who are good communicators - So who will let me know if there is a problem, rather than not mentioning it. Would expect when meeting a prospective tenant that they ask some sensible questions, as well as being able to answer my questions.
Looking for people who have references and ideally a record of staying in a property for a couple of years and not moving every 6 months.
Looking for people suitable for the property being rented...ie not a family of 4 with a dog for a 1 bedroom flat.
Clearly people must meet the affordability criteria and have the deposit money available.

The ideal tenant is someone who always lets you know about things that can become bigger issues...like a small leak or a fence about to fall down. They don’t let you know when they need a new lightbulb.
They read the info you leave in the property and take seriously the fact you need to ventilate properties and open windows if you dry clothes indoors, and that they need to have the hearing on enough to prevent mould in winter.
The ideal tenant is happy in the property and builds a life for themselves in the area, pays on time, let’s you know if there’s an issue so you can get it sorted, and wants to stay for several years. It’s very hard to know these things in advance, but meeting a prospective tenant and gut feeling along with all the essential affordability and reference checking can tell you a lot.

And of course, no tenant has to commit to being there beyond the minimum tenancy being offered..usually 6 months in the first instance. Even if a tenant expresses that they hope to stay in the area long term, they are perfectly within their rights to move on, as the contract allows.

Honest, will look after the flat, and has confirmed regular income (or pays upfront in shorter term). If you meet the owner, being reasonably presentable helps.

I'm not a landlord but used to be a tenant.

I've been a LL for years (never used an agent, didn't trust them). I look for:

-Clear credit check
-Rental history with references
-Secure employment
-Links to the area (work, family, friends)
-Excellent communication
-Offers to take shoes off during viewing

Luckily using this base I've always chosen wonderful tenants; I have all credit checks/references completed by an independent specialist company.

I make sure they'll be happy to allow an inspection every 6 months (to do maintenance like clearing drains) allow a Gas Safety engineer visit every 12 months and to report any minor or major issue/damage to me ASAP.

In return, I ensure to fix reported repairs at my cost within 24-48 hours, to give them a week's notice of inspections and only visit at an agreed time/day that suits them, to let them enjoy their home in peace, and wine and chocs are delivered every Christmas. :)

Reliability and communication are really key things to showcase, good luck!