landlords and tenants

Interviews are an important part of moving in to your future rental apartment or house. Landlords want to know about their tenants’ lifestyles, rental history and how long they’re staying.

Whether you’re the one applying to move into your next rental property, or you’re the landlord deciding which prospective tenant will get the keys, acing the interview is super important.

When I was renting out the other room in my condo, the interview was the number one most important part of deciding who would move in. Since I was sharing the space with the person, I had to be sure we’d be compatible.

For tenants:

Being truthful is key. Getting caught tweaking the truth once you've already moved it could put you in an awkward and potentially sticky situation.
Come prepared with references. This will let your future landlord easily check whether you've been a good tenant in the past, and will show that you’re OK with a background check without being asked.
Just like at a job interview, come with questions of your own. What will be the length of the lease to sign (six months? one year?)? What are the other tenants in the building like, and especially your immediate neighbors’ lifestyles? Are there services nearby like a grocery store and a cafe?

For landlords:

Have a list of questions ready for when you meet or call the applying tenant, and make your questions the same for all applicants. This will make the interview process more fair and will make it easier to decide who to choose in the end.

Here are some questions you should be sure to ask:

• How long do you plan on renting here? How long did you stay at your last rental?
• Where do you study or work? For how long?
• How many people will be moving in?
• Will there be pets moving in? What type and size?

Also ask lifestyle questions, even if, unlike me, you won’t be living with the tenant. Here are some examples.

• Are you a smoker? How often? Will you be smoking inside/on the balcony?
• Will you be having house parties in the apartment or having guests stay over often?
• What is your cleaning ritual? How often do you tidy up and do more involved cleaning work, such as cleaning the windows, washing out the fridge and scrubbing the shower?
• Do you cook often or prefer to eat out?
• What are your hobbies?

These questions should give both parties a pretty good idea of what to expect in each other. Naturally, the landlord should diligently check the tenants’ references before any lease is signed to be sure the tenant is really the right choice. In the end, both sides will likely have an excellent renting experience!