As a landlord, it's your duty to safeguard your rental properties and the surrounding community. Denver, Colorado lures residents from all over the U.S., making a thorough tenant criminal background check essential. This crucial aspect of tenant screening helps maintain property safety, avoid legal liabilities, discover tenant eviction history, and make informed decisions.
Regrettably, some landlords overlook or misconstrue major red flags in these checks, causing issues down the line. This article highlights five key red flags to watch for in your tenant criminal background check process.
1: Violent Crime
A key red flag in tenant screening is a history of violent crime. Any record of violence, such as assault or domestic violence, indicates the potential tenant may threaten your property's safety and the community. Recent violent crimes are especially worrisome.
If an applicant assaulted someone recently, there's likely an ongoing risk, and renting to them isn't wise. Be wary of tenants with repeated violent behavior patterns.
2: Property Crime
Watch out for property crimes, a red flag indeed. This crime category includes vandalism, theft, and burglary. Entrusting your property to a tenant means taking their criminal record seriously.
A security deposit is meant to cover damages. However, a careless or destructive tenant could leave you financially worse off if damages exceed the deposit amount. Legal recourse is available, but the process can be lengthy and uncertain if the tenant moves to another state. It's best to play it safe with tenants who have a history of property crimes and consider other options.
3: Drug Crime
Watch for drug-related offenses. Remember, there's a wide range of drug crimes, and not all should be treated equally. Convictions for manufacturing or distributing narcotics are alarming. They suggest the tenant might use your property for illegal activities, attracting crime and harming the community and your reputation.
Drug possession convictions might indicate an issue, but not always. If it's in the distant past or for a minor substance like marijuana, you may overlook it. However, as the landlord, that's your prerogative.
4: Fraud and Financial Crime
As a landlord, a good tenant who pays rent punctually is key. Thus, a major red flag is an applicant with a history of financial crimes, such as identity theft, embezzlement, or fraud. These crimes reveal a tenant's dishonesty, potentially making them financially unreliable or prone to rental scams.
Considering the risk of irregular rent payments, approach these tenants cautiously.
5: Sexual Offenses
Lastly, exercise caution when renting to individuals with a history of sexual offenses. Naturally, a sex offender poses safety concerns for the community and reputational issues for you. Moreover, strict legal restrictions may dictate where sex offenders can reside.
If your property is near schools or playgrounds, it might be off-limits for them altogether.
Don't Neglect the Tenant Criminal Background Check Process
Denver's rental market is competitive enough that you don't need to risk renting to anyone with significant red flags. However, when conducting a tenant criminal background check, you might misinterpret the information and miss crucial warning signs. Thus, it often makes sense to work with a professional property management company.
Laureate LTD. is a company that prides itself on delivering exceptional expertise for Denver landlords like yourself. If you need help with streamlining your tenant application process, contact us today and we'll explain how we can help you!
