Thorough Tenant Screening for Scottsdale Landlords
The most important decision you make as a rental owner is choosing who lives in your home. In Scottsdale, where single-family rents often range from $3,000 to over $10,000 per month, placing the wrong tenant can cost thousands in lost rent, home damage, and eviction court costs.
Many self-managing landlords and discount property managers rely on quick online credit checks that only give a basic score. But in today’s world—where fake paystubs and delayed eviction records are common—a simple credit score is not enough. Scottsdale Premier Property Management conducts a thorough 5-point screening process to protect your property.
Our 5-Point Applicant Screening Process
We verify every adult applicant across five key areas:
1. Credit History & Monthly Debt
We review full credit reports from the major credit bureaus, checking:
- Payment history on car loans, credit cards, and past housing.
- Monthly debt compared to income, making sure the applicant isn’t overstretched financially.
- Past bankruptcies or court judgments.
- We distinguish between temporary medical debt and a pattern of unpaid bills.
2. Real Income & Job Verification
To protect against fake online paystubs, our team checks income carefully:
- Income Requirement: Applicants must prove verifiable monthly income of at least 3 times the monthly rent.
- Bank Statement Matching: We review bank statements to verify that direct deposits match the numbers shown on their paystubs.
- Direct Employer Checks: We contact HR departments directly to confirm job title, length of employment, and salary.
3. Local Eviction Searches
National screening databases often miss recent evictions. Our team checks local Maricopa County Justice Court records directly to look for:
- Recent eviction filings that haven’t appeared on national credit reports yet.
- Settled disputes or broken leases.
- Eviction filings across other states.
4. Nationwide Criminal Background Checks
We check federal, state, and county records, including:
- Felony and misdemeanor databases.
- National sex offender registries.
- Federal security watchlists.
- All checks follow Fair Housing guidelines to ensure fair and lawful evaluations.
5. Real Landlord References
A tenant’s current landlord might give a good review just to encourage a difficult tenant to move out. That is why we contact their previous two landlords:
- Asking if rent was paid on time every month.
- Checking for unauthorized pets, noise complaints, or property damage.
- Confirming whether they gave proper notice before moving out.
- Asking the key question: “Would you rent to this person again?”
Following Fair Housing Laws
Tenant screening must follow strict rules under federal and Arizona Fair Housing laws. Landlords cannot discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, family status, disability, or national origin.
At Scottsdale Premier Property Management, our screening criteria are clear, written down, and applied equally to every applicant. By using the same standards for everyone, we keep you fully compliant with housing laws.
Clear Written Notices
If an applicant is denied or needs a co-signer based on their credit report, federal law requires a written notice explaining why. We handle all required notices automatically, giving the applicant clear instructions on how to check their credit file. This keeps the process professional and legally sound.
