Financially Responsible (Credit)
You want to find tenants who are going to be financially reliable and responsible in order to pay their rent on time. You will aim to look into their income, ideally someone who has a monthly salary 3x more than the rent you are charging. You can also run a credit check and see what their history is like with paying bills on time. This may also include looking into any debt.
History Of Renting
If your tenant has rented properties before, this can give you an idea of what they are going to be like. You can talk to their previous landlords, asking if they paid rent on time, the condition of the property, did they follow their agreement? etc. If you can gather evidence that they were reliable tenants beforehand, this is a green flag to move forward with the tenancy.
No Discrimination
It is the landlord’s job to treat every tenant fairly, and with respect and professionalism. You should never discriminate against a tenant based on factors such as race, origin, sexual orientation, gender, disability etc. You should always ensure that you’re following your own side of the agreement.
The Right To Rent
Of course the tenant must be legally allowed to rent in the UK. This is the landlord job to check this. Original documentation must be researched to check the tenants right to rent and no “copies” of documents should be used.