As of July 2023, eviction filings in Tampa, Florida, have increased by 17% compared to pre-pandemic years.
As a Tampa landlord, evictions are the last thing you want to deal with, as these legal procedures are costly and time-consuming. However, you may have no choice if your tenants owe rent or, even worse, use your property for illegal activities.
Our property management company, PMI South Tampa, can minimize such risks with our thorough tenant criminal background check and screening policies. Here's how we conduct them and how they can benefit you.
Implement Fair Tenant Screening Practices
PMI South Tampa processes rental applications that comply with state and city regulations. Our tenant screening policies abide by Florida's Federal Fair Housing Act and the Tampa Human Rights Ordinance.
For example, we screen all types of applicants and don't discriminate against their:
- Familial status
- National origin
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Gender identity
- Disability
We also have policies for screening tenants with pets. We assess not only the rental applicant but also the behavior of their pets. This process allows us to gauge whether they'll put your property at risk of damage.
Conduct a Thorough Tenant Criminal Background Check
Working with a property manager from PMI South Tampa gives you access to each of your rental applicants' criminal backgrounds. By running legal criminal history checks, we obtain the following details:
- Specific crimes committed
- The dates of the charges or arrests
- Convictions
We then use the information to gauge how likely an applicant will re-offend. In doing so, we can help you avoid renting out to people who may endanger you, your property, your neighbors, and the community. At the same time, we can assist you in selecting and retaining great tenants who are responsible and law-abiding.
Confirm Their Ability to Pay Rent on Time
PMI South Tampa conducts employment checks and verifies each applicant's income sources. Our team also runs credit checks, which give us an idea of whether prospective tenants are financially responsible. For instance, having a good credit score and a clean credit history indicates they pay their financial dues on time.
Scrutinize Applicants' Rental and Eviction Histories
Experts say previous evictions aren't good indicators of future non-payment. However, you'd still want to know if potential tenants have such a history, as it may be due to reasons unrelated to rent payments. For example, they may have breached the lease by committing illegal activities on their previous rental.
PMI South Tampa will investigate those details on your behalf. We'll review each tenant's rental and eviction histories and speak with their previous landlords. We'll learn about their behaviors, helping us determine if they're responsible.
Let PMI South Tampa Screen Your Prospective Tenants
With PMI South Tampa's comprehensive tenant criminal background check and screening procedures, you can rest easy knowing your tenants have undergone a thorough yet fair selection process. Choosing our property management company also gives you access to eviction protection. This coverage shields you from the stress and cost of evicting tenants our team has screened.
We are also a proud franchise of PMI, a property management company that has served clients nationwide for over 20 years.
So, connect with us today to learn more about our tenant screening process! We'll happily answer any questions regarding our services, including our free rental analysis.
