If you’re like me, the process of finding a new tenant can feel like a major hassle. Unless you end up receiving a much higher rent, the time and effort involved rarely feels worth it. You have to locate the old ad, make necessary updates, retrieve your Kijiji – Craiglist password, join a bunch of Facebook for rent groups, and then wait for the responses to roll in.
Soon enough, emails and messages start arriving—faster and faster, like an episode of I Love Lucy at the chocolate factory.
The first few inquiries may simply ask, “Is this available?” to which you politely respond “yes.” By the seventh message, however, patience starts to wear thin. You might be tempted to reply sarcastically: “Sorry, in the 10 minutes since I posted this ad, I showed it, called references, and rented it.”
Including your phone number can create even more chaos. Unless you genuinely enjoy speaking to dozens of people every day, it’s best to avoid publishing it. Even after your rental is filled and your ad removed, calls often continue—the internet has a long memory.
Eventually, you begin reviewing responses to your ad and find a few promising candidates. You call them to pre-screen, only to discover unexpected dealbreakers—perhaps they have four cats. At that point, you’re left scrambling for an excuse to end the call gracefully.
Does this scenario sound familiar? Over the 15 years I’ve been in the rental business, I’ve refined the art of pre-screening tenants. As an introvert, I prefer minimizing phone conversations whenever possible. Fortunately, in today’s era of texting and emailing, that’s easier than ever.
The key to reducing a fair amount of stress in tenant pre-screening is remarkably simple: add just two sentences at the end of your rental ad. Write:
“If you are interested, please reply to this ad with an introduction about who would be renting this place. Suitable candidates will be contacted for a showing.”
These two sentences make a significant difference:
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They give you insight into the applicant. A detailed response suggests transparency and responsibility. You can also gain indirect insight into their personality, writing style, and overall respectfulness.
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They provide identifying information. Depending on where the ad is posted, you may receive the applicant’s full name, which allows you to conduct preliminary background research. (For more on this, see our post on 5 Best Techniques to Investigate Prospective Tenants.)
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They establish expectations. Applicants understand that if they don’t hear back, they were not considered suitable. You no longer have to feel guilty about not responding to messages that only ask, “Is this available?” If someone cannot follow simple instructions in your ad, they are likely not the right tenant.
In my experience, this approach has been a game-changer. It streamlines the pre-screening process, gives me better insight into potential tenants, and even allows me to enjoy reading responses—deleting those that clearly aren’t suitable without a second thought.
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