One of the everyday tasks in HMO management is sourcing new tenants for your properties. But do you really know who you are looking for?

Without a clear vision on your perception of an ideal tenant you fill find that there are many types of people. They are often described with a few key words such as, working professional, experienced, full time employed. Or maybe a student or a party person, but these are just a few details, isn’t it?

One of the  things that we have started doing are staged interviews for all new tenant candidates. Because when inviting a new tenant in your property you are pretty much inviting a new person in your life.

We are interviewing the tenants during the viewings and then we have another video interview just before signing the tenancy agreement. Just after all of the referencing is completed. This has helped us in identifying if the person matches our ideal tenant criteria.

Of course not everything can be identified during the call and we have had tenants losing employment and avoiding to resolve the problems. But for the most part, most things can really be identified during the planned video interview.

So who is your ideal tenant?

Would it be someone who has a permanent employment, is polite and kind during the viewing. Who is understanding when things might go wrong and is happy to assist with things like engineer access to the property or restarting an internet router?

Would it be someone who treats you with respect during the viewing. And who does not send you loads of messages before or after the viewing?

Would it be someone who notice things like broken toilet seat and informs you about it in professional manner?

Would it be someone who is easy to get a hold with and who responds to your emails or messages when needed, or maybe its someone who has good experience in living in a shared accommodation and is responsible in cleaning the kitchen and bathroom every time after using it and treats the housemates with kindness and respect, a someone who is capable of replacing a light bulb in their own room and to treat the house  as their home?

Whichever it is, just write it down for yourself as this will make huge difference when looking for tenants.