Most landlord-tenant disputes trace back to a screening step that was skipped or rushed. A thorough process takes a few extra days upfront and prevents most problems that would otherwise take months to resolve later.
Documents to verify before anything else
- Government-issued photo ID, cross-checked against the name on the application
- Proof of current address and, ideally, previous address history
- Employment or business proof, with a recent salary slip or income statement
Income verification that actually protects you
A common rule of thumb is that monthly rent shouldn't exceed roughly a third of the tenant's take-home income. Ask for the last three months of bank statements or salary slips rather than relying on a verbal figure.
Reference calls worth making
- Previous landlord — ask specifically about payment punctuality and property condition at move-out, not just "were they a good tenant"
- Current employer, to confirm employment status independently
- A personal reference, ideally someone not related to the tenant
Clauses worth adding to the rental agreement
- A clear, itemised security deposit deduction policy for damages
- A notice period for both parties, stated in days or months, not left implicit
- Explicit terms on subletting — permitted or not
- A maintenance responsibility split, specifying what the landlord covers versus the tenant
- A police verification requirement, where locally applicable, completed before handover of keys
None of this is about distrust — it's about setting expectations clearly enough that disagreements have a document to refer back to, rather than becoming a matter of memory and goodwill.
