The Quiet Red Flags That Show Up Before the Lease Goes Sideways
The Quiet Red Flags That Show Up Before the Lease Goes Sideways
Most landlords who end up in eviction court did not see it coming. The application looked acceptable, the credit score was passable, the tenant said the right things during the showing — and then six months in, the rent stops, the calls go unreturned, or the unit starts falling apart from the inside.
The signs were almost always there. Most landlords just didn't know what to look for.
Bad tenants rarely announce themselves. They show up as average applications with one or two small things that don't quite add up. A reference number that goes to a cell phone instead of a property management office. A previous landlord who is suspiciously enthusiastic. An employment letter that says all the right things but doesn't include direct contact info to verify. A move-in date that's "as soon as possible" with no clear reason for the urgency.
Individually, none of these are dealbreakers. Together, they form a pattern.
The pattern matters more than any single data point. A 620 credit score with stable employment and a verifiable landlord reference is a much better risk than a 720 score with an evasive applicant who can't explain a recent address gap. The numbers tell you what they paid; the conversation tells you who they are.
Verifying income beyond the pay stub is one of the most overlooked steps in screening. Pay stubs can be edited. Bank statements showing consistent deposits over three to six months are harder to fake. Asking for both — and noticing when an applicant resists providing one — separates surface-level screening from the kind that actually catches problems.
The previous-landlord call is where most of the real signal lives. Not the listed reference. The previous-previous landlord. The current landlord has every incentive to give a glowing review of a tenant they want to leave. The one before them has nothing to lose by telling the truth.
When you call, the questions matter as much as who you're asking. "Was rent paid on time?" gets you a yes most of the time. "Did you ever have to follow up about late rent, even once?" gets you a more honest answer. "Would you rent to them again?" — listen for hesitation, not just the answer.
For landlords who want to build a screening process that actually catches the signals before the lease gets signed, Tenant Screening covers the practical steps that separate landlords who avoid evictions from landlords who keep ending up in court.
Red flags are easier to act on before someone has the keys. After move-in, you're managing a problem instead of preventing one. Slow down the screening process by a few hours up front and you save yourself the months it takes to get someone out the wrong way.
