Interviews with potential residents are really two-sided. You are making sure that they will be good renters, follow the rules of your community, and can afford the rent. They are making sure that your rental is a place they want to call home. The interview process is crucial and sometimes potential renters will ask some pretty tricky questions. Here is a guide for how to answer those tough ones that you are commonly asked.

Q: Can I sign a shorter lease?

A: With how mobile our society has become, many people just cannot commit to long term leases anymore. So the best thing to do is have a variety of lease options. You can offer things like month to month or 3 and 6 months leases, but you should always charge a premium because you are giving up a rental that could be taken by someone providing a guaranteed long term income.

Q: Do you allow subletting?

A: Subletting gets into tricky territory because you aren’t screening those renters. There are two ways to approach subletting, simply not allowing it which can turn some potential renters off or implementing a subletting process where you simply have to be notified of the sublet and approve the sub-letter. You should also consider having a policy on short rentals like AirBnB.

Q: Will the rent go up when my lease is finished?

This is a concern because many rentals will dramatically increase the rent after one year. If renters do not fully understand that this is a possibility, you can lose reliable, quality renters. However, rent increases are usually expected as part of life. So just make sure to have a clear policy about rent increases, make it completely transparent for both current and potential renters. Then when you do raise the rent, they will know it is going to happen and you will not lose great residents.

Q: How safe is the neighborhood?

A: This is a big concern especially for families with young children. The best way to answer this question is to have your neighborhood statistics on hand with comparable data for surrounding areas. If you find that you area has an unusually high crime rate, you should consider implementing security features that you can explain to potential renters.

Q: Can I paint?

A: This is an incredibly common question, so you should just be ready. You can offer a variety of painting options depending on what you are comfortable with. You can make them pay a larger deposit, allow them to paint as long as they use your company, or offer to do it for them before they move in using a selection of paint colors.

You will be asked difficult questions from time to time, but if you have good policies on all potential contingencies, you should be able to answer them no problem. For help creating those policies, check out the property management services at Occupancy Solutions. We can help you make great policies that can attract and keep the right residents.