WATCH OUT FOR DISCRIMINATION
People often say they do not discriminate, but the reality is that often they do without realising it. Discrimination is an issue within the property management industry that must be considered. As a Property Manager or Landlord we must be aware that we cannot discriminate. It is human nature that you may have preferences of who you would like to reside in your property. There may have been previous experiences that have shaped your judgement on what tenant you may choose.
When selecting tenants it’s important to focus on what is important:
Can the prospective tenant prove that they can afford the property?
Is the number of people suitable to reside in the property?
Can they maintain the property and grounds?
Can you verify the information that they have given you in their application?
Do you have references that check out positively?
By law you must not discriminate against, colour or race, the unemployed, children, sexuality or religion. Care must be taken when declining a tenants application and often is better not to provide any further information rather than ‘unfortunately your application has not been accepted at this time’ rather than offering reasons.
It is important to remember that it is not the status of a person that will determine if they will be a suitable tenant, but the landlord/agent references they supply to prove their previous history.