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Having a stranger stay in your Dubai property is admittedly a big risk to take. And while a face-to-face meeting can dispel some concerns, it takes a background and credit check to mitigate those risks. Therefore, protect your investment with seven screening steps before handing your apartment over to a new tenant.<\/p>
While all seven steps may not be part of your normal Dubai leasing practices, Blueground advises doing your due diligence.<\/p>
A background check will reveal a criminal record, eviction, or fraudulent history. A tenant credit check is also used to measure whether a renter can pay their bills. Since 2014, Al Etihad Credit Bureau has collected and pooled individual and business credit information from the Emirate’s utility companies, financial institutions, and government sources.<\/p>
Through the Central Bank of Dubai, the credit bureau generates four types of reports:<\/p>
If you obtain the prospective tenant’s permission for a background credit check, you as a property owner are allowed to look into monetary judgments, tardy payments, open and closed credit cards, and more.<\/p>
We advise narrowing in on seven particular pieces of information:<\/p>
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In Dubai, residents are given a credit score between 300 and 900. Be wary of credit scores below 600.
\nCurrent and former addresses<\/strong><\/span>
\nSome tenants may leave out their past addresses for convenience sake or with other intentions. Cross check and scrutinise as necessary.
\nTenant applications for credit with lending institutions<\/strong>
\nIf you see that multiple applications have been filed with lending institutions, this could be an indication of financial troubles.
\nPayment history for contracts<\/strong>
\nThis is a quintessential indicator of their ability to pay your rent in its entirety and on time.
\nThe number of overdue contracts<\/strong>
\nThis is also a red flag for landlords. If there are several overdue contracts, you can already disqualify this candidate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2) Criminal records<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Some property owners are probably not aware, you can request a Certificate of Good Conduct from your tenant. Make it a part of your tenant screening process to request one of these proofs, furnished by the Dubai Police Department – just to be sure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3) Medical history <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nMany expats in Dubai already have a medical report completed from their visas. So, although it may seem a tad extreme to request medical test results, many may not have a problem producing it on their visit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4) Credit and background checks in their home country<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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If you’re entertaining interested tenants from abroad, you can also seek out a credit check from your tenant’s home country. Double check that such a report can be ordered and delivered online instead of by post before proceeding.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n5) Social networks<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Don’t underestimate the potential of a social media scan. These days, a quick Google search for a tenant’s name will reveal plenty of information pulling on Facebook profiles, tweets, LinkedIn CVs, among other news published online. Make sure the information online matches up with their profile as a tenant<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
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Finally, a good indication of healthy cash flow and ability to make rent can be found by looking into a prospective tenant’s income. A rule of thumb among landlords is to multiply the apartment’s monthly rent by 40 and if it does not exceed the tenant’s annual income, they should be able to make rent. In terms of proof of income, requesting their latest payslip or a signed contract with their income (in case of a new arrival) should suffice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.propertyfinder.ae\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Amine_Pics-200x200.png\")
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