Screening a tenant: how to choose carefully and fairly

The choice of tenant is one of the most important decisions as a landlord. A reliable tenant pays on time, treats the home carefully and causes few worries. At the same time, the selection must be fair and transparent. In this article you'll read how to approach it.

Set criteria in advance

Before offering the home, decide what requirements a tenant must meet. Think of a minimum income, the start date and the desired rental period. Make these criteria known in your listing. That way candidates know where they stand and you avoid arbitrariness.

Equal treatment

In the Netherlands it's prohibited to select tenants based on, among other things, origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation. There are also rules about how landlords must select and what information they may ask for. Stick to objective criteria that you apply equally to everyone.

Checking income

A commonly used requirement is that the tenant's income is a multiple of the rent. Ask for a recent payslip or employer's statement. For self-employed people you can ask for annual figures. Only request the information needed to assess whether the rent can be paid.

References from previous landlords

A landlord's reference from the previous landlord provides insight into payment behaviour and how the home was treated. Ask for this with the candidate's consent.

Handling personal data carefully

When screening you process personal data. Under GDPR you may not ask for more data than necessary. A copy of an ID, for example, should only be requested once the contract is signed, and you should mask the citizen service number. Don't keep data of rejected candidates longer than necessary.

A personal introduction

Besides documents, a personal introduction is also valuable. During a viewing you can ask questions and explain the home and the rules. Record your impression based on the same criteria for every candidate.

Clear agreements

Have you chosen a tenant? Then record all agreements in a good tenancy agreement. At the start, make a handover report with photos, so that upon departure it's clear what condition the home was in. Also read the main rules for renting out.

Leave it to a specialist

Screening takes time and requires knowledge of the rules. Our rental agents take the selection fully off your hands, in a careful and fair way. That gives you certainty about a reliable tenant. Get in touch to discuss the options.

Frequently asked: can I ask for a guarantor?

In some situations, for example with students or first-time renters with a limited income, a guarantor is requested, such as a parent. They guarantee the rent if the tenant cannot pay. Record this properly in writing and check that the guarantor has sufficient income themselves. This gives you as a landlord extra certainty, without excluding candidates from the outset.

After the selection

Stay in touch with the tenant even after the tenancy starts. A periodic inspection, with good agreements made in advance, helps spot small problems early.