How to Check a Landlord and Why It Is Necessary
When renting an apartment, it can seem like there are an endless number of hoops to jump through to get to the door of the apartment you really want to live in. You must provide your potential landlord with a lot of personal information about your income and employment history. Sometimes they ask for recommendations. And in most cases, they check the background of anyone whose name is on the lease.
While landlords are wary of distressed tenants, many tenants have also suffered from troubled landlords whose lease methods are not always fair . For example, negligent landlords may not maintain their property according to regulations, jeopardizing the safety of tenants. They could be sued for violating the rights of tenants. Or they may lack adequate licensing.
You may not be able to do an official background check on your landlord, but you can verify him (or his property management company) in other ways. The exact resources available to you will depend on where you live – lease rules tend to vary by city or county – but there are a few steps anyone can take to start checking their landlord (hopefully before signing a new lease).
Assemble the basics
To verify your landlord or property manager, you need to know who they are. Ask their name and company name if they have an LLC. You can also find out the addresses of other properties they own, which will help you gather information from publicly available sources and find reviews from past tenants.
Search for a business license
In many places, homeowners must have a business license in order to legally rent real estate. If this is the case in your area, you can usually find license databases on state or local government websites where you can search by landlord name, business name, or property address.
Look for real estate and tax reporting
Find your local government property database (a Google search like CITY + PROPERTY RECORDS should take you there) and search for a rental apartment using the address, landlord or LLC name. It should contain information about who owns the property and whether there are any liens, fines or legal action against it, such as foreclosure.
You should also be able to find tax records that show you information such as property values, purchase prices and ownership history, and unpaid tax balances. This can be a separate database or a search depending on where you live.
Finally, look for any public inspection records or building permits for the rental property. They will tell you if your landlord has violated city or building codes.
Look at the court records
If a tenant sues your landlord or management company (or sues a tenant), you can find the records in your state or local court’s database. Evictions or disputes over the security deposit may appear here.
Read reviews
If there is nothing of note in the public records, you may find useful information from past tenants. Google the name of the landlord, property management company, or apartment building. Sites like RateMyLandlord , Whose Your Landlord, and OpenIgloo (NYC) collect tenant reviews and ratings. Even area-specific sites like NextDoor can offer insight.
Talk to current tenants
When you check out a property, try to meet with current tenants to ask them about their experience with a potential landlord. Do they keep the property clean and safe? Do they respond to maintenance requests? Do they come in without warning? How often do they raise their rent? No one knows – and is more likely to share the grievance – than current tenants.
Read about tenant rights
Tenants can be used simply because they do not know their rights. Some cities are more tenant-friendly than others, so it’s helpful to understand what remedies you have against a crappy homeowner in your city or state. You can search it on Google or visit legal sites such as Nolo . You can also find information on your state or city’s condominium website.