Tenant screening checklist: what to ask a prospective tenant
By Giridhar Reddy, founder of Domvio, Bengaluru
Published
Screening a tenant means checking, before you sign, that they can pay the rent and will look after the home. Ask every applicant the same questions about move-in date, who will live there, work and income, and past rentals, then call a previous landlord and see their ID. This page lists the questions and prints a screening form.
Print a tenant screening form
Pick who is applying, untick anything you don't need and add your own questions. Print one form per applicant and write the answers during the visit, so you can compare applicants side by side afterwards.
This form needs JavaScript. To make one by hand, write the questions below on an A4 sheet with a line under each for the answer, then add a table for the references you call, tick boxes for the documents you have seen, and a box for your decision.
What to ask a prospective tenant
| Topic | Questions | What you learn |
|---|---|---|
| Move-in | When do you want to move in? How long will you stay? Why are you moving? | Whether the dates fit, and whether they will stay past the first agreement |
| Household | How many people will live here? Any pets? Does anyone smoke indoors? | Whether the home suits them, and what to put in the agreement |
| Work and income | What do you do and where? How long with this employer? Roughly what is the take-home pay? | Whether the rent is affordable for them month after month |
| Students | Which college and course? Who will pay the rent? | Whether a parent or guardian should sign or be on the KYC form |
| Rental history | Where do you live now? May I call your landlord? Did you get your deposit back? | How they treated the last home and paid the last owner |
| Terms | Can you pay the deposit and first rent before moving in? Will you pay by UPI on a fixed date? | Whether you agree on money before anyone signs |
Ask everyone the same questions
Questions about religion, caste, diet or where someone is from say nothing about whether they will pay rent or look after the home. Sticking to the same list for every applicant keeps the choice about the tenancy, and makes it easier to explain a no.
How to do a tenant background check
Screen on the phone before the visit
Three questions save most wasted visits: when they want to move in, who will live there, and whether the rent and deposit work for them.
Meet them at the home
Show the home, go through the form and write down the answers. Note anything they ask you, too.
Call a previous landlord
Ask whether rent was paid on time, how the home was left and whether they would let to this person again. Ask the employer or college to confirm the job or course if anything is unclear.
See the originals of their ID and work proof
Match the name on the ID with the name they gave you. Collect copies only from the applicant you choose, on the tenant KYC form.
Decide, then verify
Once the agreement is signed, register the tenant for police verification. Police verification is a check the police run on the tenant's identity and address; it is not a credit or rental history check.
Warning signs when screening a tenant
- They want to move in today and pay the full year in cash, without seeing the agreement.
- They will not give a previous landlord's or employer's number, or the numbers don't answer.
- The name or address on the ID does not match what they told you.
- The number of people who will live there keeps changing.
- They push back on a written agreement or police verification.
After you choose a tenant
Take the deposit and first rent by UPI or bank transfer so there is a record, sign the rent agreement, and do a move-in checklist together on the day they get the keys. The full sequence is in our guide on how to rent out your flat.
Rent on time, without chasing
Domvio sends the tenant a WhatsApp reminder three days before rent is due, with a UPI link to your own account, and a PDF receipt for every payment, UPI or cash. It stores their lease and KYC documents with the rent record. Free during early access. See the rent collection app.
Once you choose a tenant, Domvio invites them on WhatsApp, reminds them before rent is due with a UPI link to your own account and sends a PDF receipt. Free during early access.
Try Domvio freeFrequently asked questions
What should I ask a prospective tenant?
When they want to move in and for how long, who will live there, what they do and where, roughly what they earn, where they live now, and whether you may call their current or previous landlord.
How do I check a tenant's background in India?
Call a previous landlord and the employer or college, see the originals of their ID and work proof, and register them for tenant police verification once the agreement is signed.
Is police verification the same as tenant screening?
No. Police verification records the tenant's identity and address with the police. Screening is your own check that they can pay the rent and will look after the home, done before you sign.
Which documents should I ask for before choosing a tenant?
See the originals of a photo ID and proof of work or study during the visit. Take copies only from the tenant you choose, using the tenant KYC form.
Does Domvio screen tenants?
No. Domvio does not run background checks. Once you have chosen a tenant, it handles the rent on WhatsApp: reminders with a UPI link to your own account and a PDF receipt for every payment.
Stop chasing rent every month
Domvio reminds your tenants on WhatsApp, takes rent straight to your UPI ID and sends PDF receipts automatically. Free during early access.