When you own a rental property, it’s important that you do everything necessary to protect your asset. And finding the right tenant is the first step in achieving this goal. It is, however, more difficult than it may sound. While most tenants look good on paper, it’s often complicated to determine what type of person they really are beyond face value.
Fortunately, you can hire a PI to screen your tenants and keep the bad ones out of your rental. To learn how this works, here we’ll show you how landlords can benefit from using private investigators when looking for tenants.
Conduct Background Checks
PI’s can perform all the necessary background checks and in-depth research to pull information on your potential rental candidates. They can dig into their credit history, past bankruptcies, employment records, and also find out if they’ve had a criminal record which will highlight any potential red flags you might want to stay clear of.
Perform a Detailed Search
A standard background check might indicate that the tenant is acceptable, but it doesn’t always dig deep enough. A PI can do a wider search to find out if the person has any known aliases, has been listed as a sex offender, has any medical issues, or any eviction judgements or previous issues with other landlords. Having the full picture can ensure that you don’t become privy to fraud or other problems that could result in legal issues.
Determine if Your Property is Being Subletted
When you don’t live on site, it’s often hard to detect if your current renter is illegally subletting your property to someone else for profit. Sure, you could perch yourself outside the property for days on end, but it’s much more efficient to hire a private detective instead. Only a PI has the surveillance skills and technology needed to determine if your property is being rented out against your will.
Weed out Drug use and Criminal Activity
If your tenant is engaging in dangerous or illegal activity on your property, you could also end up facing big troubles. If you suspect that your tenant is using or selling drugs, has weapons on site or is engaged in any type of criminal activity, it’s crucial that you call a PI to find out. Having the proof will help cover your bases if the police turn up and also give you what you need to evict the tenant or take them to court.
Don’t get stuck with a problem tenant you can’t remove from your property. At The Smith Investigation Agency, our PI’s are specially trained professionals that provide discreet, effective, and tailored investigative services for all sorts of cases. We work with all types of businesses and individuals who rent and can ensure that your property is adequately protected.
About the Author
Whitney Joy Smith
Founder of The Smith Investigation Agency in 2014, Whitney Joy Smith’s extensive background as a private investigator is matched only by her passion for the role. A graduate of several respected institutions, including Northwest Florida State College and George Brown College, her early years in life were spent between Canada and the United States. This education, along with her formative years as a private investigator in various agencies, informed much of her knowledge of private investigative laws, regulations, and operating standards in both countries.
The recipient of numerous industry awards and accolades, including the Consumers Choice Award, Best in Ottawa, and many others, Whitney takes pride in working closely with her ever-growing agency to raise the bar, maintain compliance, and meet the investigative needs of clients. Whitney is active in various membership and supporting roles, including the CPIRC, CBN, CAPI, Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and many others. Her experience-driven, thought-provoking articles have been featured in everything from Readers Digest to Business News Daily, and she strives to continually redefine standards for those in the private investigative and security fields. Learn more about Whitney and the team at The Smith Investigation Agency today.
