Getting Info From Your Tenant

You are in charge now. You call yourself “the boss.” You are the landlord. Your first order of business is what? You must collect information from your tenants, as you will need to be able to contact them at some point.

Every single time you talk to your tenants, smile. Never, ever forget to smile.

Collecting tenant information is a smooth process that you do not need to stress about. Always remember that you are in charge, and that you are the boss. However, although you are in charge, it does not mean you must be a jerk. Remember the three F’s: be firm, friendly, and fair.

Carry confidence in your voice and stand erect. Landlords who lack confidence or who are easily intimidated will not find themselves in the right career path; tenants will think they can walk all over you.

Everybody likes to follow a knowledgeable leader who has things under control. You want your tenants to trust and rely on you; act as if they can. Oh, and be sure to smile.

Asking them for their information is easy. Just ask them. That is all there is to it. Sometimes, you will have a tenant who seems very suspicious, as if he thinks you have some ulterior motive for getting his information. For these paranoid types, gently explain the reasons why you need their information. They should understand.

You can ask them if they would like to be told about a creep outside their window or a fire when asking for their cell phone numbers or work numbers.

Let them know that their social security numbers are needed so that you can report their excellent, on-time payments. This information you will need, too, in case you want to check your credit (you should). Also, be sure you are smiling.

You can always tell suspicious tenants that the information is safe with you, and that you will do everything you can to keep their information confidential. You must not share or sell their information to anyone.

If you simply cannot get the information out of the tenant, then stop. Do not worry about it. There are some battles in life you should pick to fight, and this is not one of them.

Instead, ask the previous landlord, check with the city, etc. It is better to find your information from elsewhere, and this should not be a difficult task.

Once you have all their information, store it away in a safe place. That was pretty easy, right?

Cody Scholberg, a recognized expert of landlording, writes for the Commercial Property Management Guide, an excellent source of landlording information. Check out this short checklist for choosing good tenants.