{"id":873,"date":"2019-10-14T16:04:46","date_gmt":"2019-10-14T16:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentila.co.uk\/blog\/?p=873"},"modified":"2025-11-10T14:46:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T14:46:39","slug":"how-to-find-great-tenants-for-your-properties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentila.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-find-great-tenants-for-your-properties\/","title":{"rendered":"How to find great tenants for your rental property in the UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How<\/div>\n

Selecting the perfect tenant for a rental property in the UK is an important job, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s easy. There\u2019s a lot to take into account to find great tenants; due diligence should be your top priority. After all, the last thing you want is to wind up in a situation where the tenant doesn\u2019t pay the rent, and you have to enter into a prolonged dispute period.<\/p>\n

Here are four steps you can take to ensure that the tenant you end up choosing will be a good fit for your property. The ideal tenant will pass each of these steps one by one, but they\u2019ve been designed to weed out poor candidates.<\/p>\n

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Sorting through potential candidates<\/h2>\n

Making first contact<\/h3>\n

The relationship will begin in one of two ways; either the tenant will call you, or they\u2019ll send you a message to inquire further about the conditions of the property you\u2019re renting. At this stage, it\u2019s vital that you\u2019re not shy about asking a few further questions, just to make sure they\u2019re not wasting your time.<\/p>\n

The first meet<\/h3>\n

Assuming the candidate in question passed all of your screening questions and arranged a visit, now\u2019s your chance to size them up for yourself. Trust your gut instinct \u2014 intuition is a valuable human ability and you should make use of it as much as you can. If they seem untidy, dishonest, or shifty in some way, feel free to make a mental note not to invite them back.<\/p>\n

Making a choice<\/h3>\n

At this point, you\u2019ve probably had contact with a number of different potential candidates for your property. Some of them will have proved to be unreliable, while others will have passed all of the tests and will present solid options. Now it\u2019s up to you to use your own best judgment and figure out which candidate is the one you\u2019d most like to have in your home.<\/p>\n

Take note of things like the tenant\u2019s body language, how they behave, and what kind of general vibe you get from them. Make sure to instruct them about what is and isn\u2019t permitted in the lease agreement, and watch how they react. These are a few practical tips you can apply that will go a long way towards making sure the relationship is an ultimately fruitful one, free from unnecessary stress and headaches.<\/p>\n

Signing the lease<\/h3>\n

Once you\u2019ve chosen the ideal candidate, it\u2019s time to sign the lease<\/a> and make things official. Take your time going over the contract in detail to make sure there are no crossed wires. This is your last chance to sort out any misunderstandings before they become a big headache; once the contract has been signed, it\u2019s a lot harder to work things out.<\/p>\n

What documents should you ask for?<\/h2>\n

In the UK, there are a number of different documents that are required in order for somebody to rent a home. We\u2019ll go through these now, in a few different categories. Ideally, these should be originals, not copies.<\/p>\n

Proof of identity<\/h3>\n

Legally speaking, anybody trying to rent a property must be a legal UK resident, as well as over the age of 18. Here are some of the ways you can confirm this with documentation \u2014 any of these will suffice on their own.<\/p>\n