Check Activities of Applicants on Social Media

Most landlords never bother to check out the activities of their applicants on various social media platforms. But this is a mistake as they can get to know many things about applicants that they themselves never reveal. You should make it a habit of taking a glance at their activities on social media as it takes just a little time but sometimes saves you from big trouble.

Remember that your goal is to give entry to only those tenants who are well behaved and pay their rent on time. Sometimes a background check or criminal record may not tell you anything significant about the applicant. He looks like an ordinary and innocent guy with no red flags until you have seen what he is up to on social media. You can find many red flags when you search activities of an applicant on social media.

What do you do other than believing the story of a good-looking young man who says that his rental history has been botched by his previous landlord? He can make lame excuses for moving out of the property without paying his rent. He may say that the landlord did not undertake repairs causing inconvenience to him. But he will never tell that he left the property in the middle of the night without informing his landlord just before the expiry of his contract.

There is no way of knowing the truth behind the story of such an applicant, right? All you have to do is to conduct a search using his name on Google where you are taken to his Facebook account. You see the man enjoying his vacation on a beach which is nothing unusual until you come across his comment that says he is having all this fun on the money of his landlord. Most of these miscreants take pride in boasting about their wrongdoings on social media platforms.

What if an applicant tells you that he has a single pet in the household and even brings his Pomeranian dog into your office as a proof? But when you sieve his social media pics, you see him playing with his ferocious German Shepherds. He will sneak into your rental property with his dogs without informing you about his real pets and you will face the consequences later.

Social media is a place where people are carefree and boasting about their achievements and activities. This is where you can catch them red handed even if they appear to be simple and honest. People post images and comments that they believe will make them appear as hero on social media.
While on the one hand you can unearth hidden secrets about a man or a woman on social media, it is also the place where you will come across unusual talents and aspects of behavior not written on the application form. Many a times you will find something good about the character of a man when you are about to reject his application for tenancy. You may be surprised to see a normal individual with a happy family when you are suspicious about his income and social life.

If there is something that is mysterious or creepy on the profile of an applicant, it is better to keep him away from your property. Remember that there is nothing illegal about searching about the activities of a guy on Google or other social media platforms. This search on social media is worth if you want to be doubly sure about the applicant finalizing as your tenant. It is always a good idea to find out more about your applicant through some easy clicks than repenting later.

If you’d like to talk more about property management, or you need help with Everest Property Management, please contact us at Everest Realty. 

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