5 Steps to Onboard New Tenants in Washington

Identifying a well-suited tenant for your rental unit is the initial step in property management. After choosing the tenant, the other critical phase is onboarding. This optimal process creates the backdrop for a positive landlord-tenant relationship. In Washington, there are specific steps and factors to consider when you onboard new tenants. Let's get into essential measures to ensure a smooth transition and successful rental experience.

How to Onboard New Tenants

Let’s discuss the steps to onboard new tenants:

Tenant Screening and Verification

The first step to onboarding new tenants is to run complete background checks to assess the tenant's rental history. It may include evaluating their employment stability, income level, and references. For that, you can deploy standardized application forms to acquire their personal and financial information. You can also confirm the details provided by respective tenants by their previous landlords to validate their identity.

In Washington, landlords are required to ensure compliance with fair housing laws and prohibit all forms of discrimination while renting out property. So, while screening tenant's information, ensure they are protected from inequality.

Explain Lease Agreement

After you have verified the tenant's details, it's time to create and sign a lease agreement to clear rental terms between the parties. This legally binding document contains the following elements:

• The landlord and tenant names.
• The rental period, rent amount or increment percentage, due date, and policies regarding late fees.
• Acceptable payment methods.
• Property rules and regulations regarding pets, smoking, parking restrictions, and maintenance responsibilities.
• Specify the amount of the security deposit, its return conditions, and any deductions allowed by law.

While making these rental agreements, comply with state Landlord-Tenant Laws to avoid any inconveniences afterward.

Collecting Security Deposits and Rent Payments

An efficient process to onboard new tenants is to offer convenient methods to collect security deposits and rent payments. You can provide flexible payment modes like e-transfers, debit or credit cards, and direct bank transfers.

It's essential to gather the first month's rent and any applicable fees or deposits before the tenant moves in. Communicate the payment methods and due dates to the tenant to avoid any misunderstandings.

Property Management and Move-In Schedule

Craft an efficient property management plan to maximize tenant satisfaction. It involves a thorough property assessment to ensure that rental units are well-maintained and tenant needs are promptly addressed.

For that, you need to document the property's condition, identify normal wear and tear or damage, and outline maintenance requirements. A professional property manager helps you to improve this onboarding step more efficiently.

Both parties should sign off on the inspection report to avoid discrepancies. Also, discuss the preferred move-in date with your tenant. Once you have established a move-in date and time, send a confirmation email or document the details to have a record of this event.

Deliver Keys and Share Contact Details

Providing keys to new tenants is a crucial part of the onboarding process. For this purpose, you need to schedule a convenient time to hand over the keys to the tenant. It is typically done during the move-in walkthrough or previously. Moreover, you need to maintain a record of the number of keys provided to the tenants. Also, provide contact information for maintenance requests, emergencies, and landlord communication.

Conclusion

In short, by following the above-discussed steps, you can streamline the way you onboard new tenants. Landlords can improve their onboarding process by managing their property efficiently. For that, Home Team emerges as an outstanding solution. We offer stress-free and full-service property management for your rental housing units. So, why wait? Contact us now!