Do you have a horror story to tell? Most landlords and managers do. It comes with the territory. But you can improve your odds by following a proper screening procedure prior to renting. While this won't guarantee you good tenants, it will go a long way toward keeping the known bad tenants out, and will reduce your rates of problems to levels you can live with. But far too many people don't know how to screen a tenant. So,here is how you do it.

First, make them fill out an application that asks for, at a minimum, the following:

(1) Full Name;
(2) Social Security Number
(3) Current Address
(4) Time at current address
(5) Current Landlord's name and phone number
(6) Employer
(7) Employer's phone number
(8) Their income
(9) ALL - that means EVERY - address they have lived at for AT LEAST the last 3 years, with LL names and numbers, and dates they lived there.
(10) Names of EVERYONE to occupy the rental