I run a smaller mobile home park (fewer than 20 lots), and until now I’ve mainly relied on personal interviews and referrals when filling vacancies. But lately I’ve been wondering if I should be doing a bit more.
For those of you running small parks—how are you vetting new tenants? Do you stick with the basics, or have you found any low-cost ways to dig a little deeper without overcomplicating things?
Would appreciate any insights or personal experiences. Just trying to avoid problems before they start.
I use TransUnion’s SmartMove product for background checks. It provides criminal history, eviction history, credit information ID information and income information. The fee is $47 and I require that prospective tenant pay for it. You can also get some information from the local court websites - some offer criminal, civil, etc. case report information.
We don’t do background checks. Most applicants are honest on their applications. What we do though without fail is verify income from gainful employment. Our parks are in high demand rental areas with a tight supply of low income housing. People are desperate for housing and will say and promise anything to get a place to call home… but they have to be able to cover the rent.