One of the top risks you face as a landlord in Jacksonville, FL, is dealing with evictions. Compared to pre-pandemic years, eviction rates in the city rose by 27% in 2023.
Most evictions result from tenants' failure to pay rent on time. However, you may also have to evict tenants who commit crimes on your property or against other tenants.
Partnering with our property management company, PMI Jacksonville, is one way to minimize such risks. Our team will do more than just conduct a tenant criminal background check on each prospective tenant.
Here's what you can expect from our comprehensive tenant screening policy.
Thorough Tenant Criminal Background Check
When screening tenants for their criminal history, PMI Jacksonville looks into convictions. We also factor in the specific crimes committed and the date of the convictions. Here are some of the platforms we use for these checks:
- International Terrorism Database Search
- National Criminal Search
- National Sex Offender Search
Once we've collected the information, we review it to gauge an applicant's likelihood of re-offending. That's a crucial step, as the U.S. has among the highest recidivism rates worldwide. Recidivism is the tendency of convicted criminals to re-offend.
Consideration of Crime Committed
PMI Jacksonville conducts in-depth checks but doesn't automatically disqualify applicants with criminal histories. Doing so may be discriminatory under the law.
Instead, our property management experts consider applicants on a case-by-case basis. We evaluate their crime's nature, severity, and how long ago they committed it.
We reject applicants if the facts indicate they may endanger your property and other tenants. For example, their recent convictions involve violent crimes, arson, or drug-related crimes.
Financial Verification
Our tenant screening process includes checking each applicant's employment, income, and credit history. Our findings allow us to gauge whether they can afford rent and are financially responsible. They also help us determine if they're good candidates for lease renewals.
Let's say one of your applicants has a high credit score and a clean credit history. These qualities often indicate a person is responsible with their money and pays their dues on time.
Rental History Check
PMI Jacksonville also checks each applicant's rental history. It can tell us if they gave their previous landlords a hard time with rent collection. We can also find out if they faced evictions in Jacksonville or elsewhere.
Moreover, we can determine if tenants treated their previous rented homes with care and respect. If not, and they left the properties with significant damage, we'll discover that, too.
Find Trustworthy and Reliable Tenants
That's how PMI Jacksonville conducts a tenant criminal background check on each applicant. We screen everyone thoroughly, without bias, and in compliance with the law.
So, partner with us if you need help with tenant placement and screening. We can also handle marketing, accounting, maintenance, rent collection, lease enforcement, and evictions. We're also a proud franchise of PMI.
PMI is a national property management company managing over $5 billion of real estate assets. It's been in business for over 20 years, a testament to its high-quality services.
So, call us today if you're ready to find qualified tenants and simplify property management!
