The best way to find good tenants is to define what "good" means before you advertise, write your listing to attract that specific profile, pre-screen every enquiry, then verify ID, income, credit and references before you decide. Use a simple scoring rubric so every applicant is judged the same way. The Rental Housing Act sets the legal boundaries you work within, and a verification-first platform can handle some of the checking for you.
TL;DR:
- Use the same scoring rubric for every applicant: affordability carries 40%, rental history 30%, credit checks 20%, and communication 10%.
- Request three months of bank statements, proof of income, verified ID, and a contactable landlord reference; call that landlord instead of relying on a letter.
- Applicants who work for themselves can document income with tax returns, six months of bank statements showing regular deposits, and available invoices or contracts.
- Treat edited documents, repeated short tenancies, and unexplained rental gaps as reasons to investigate, not automatic grounds for rejection; ask about them first.
- Keep advertising and selection criteria focused on affordability and reliability, because the Rental Housing Act prohibits unfair discrimination in both.
Table of Contents
- What landlords look for: essential tenant qualities and required documents
- Where to find good tenants: channels and ad-targeting tactics
- A step-by-step tenant screening workflow
- How to evaluate applicants: a simple scoring rubric and red flags
- Screening special cases: self-employed tenants, guarantors and international applicants
- Attracting and retaining good tenants: presentation, pricing and clear leases
- How verification-first platforms reduce risk
- Author perspective: lessons from managing multiple rentals
- Darava: a verification-first way to find verified applicants
- FAQ
- Sources
- Primary sources and useful links
What landlords look for: essential tenant qualities and required documents
A reliable tenant is one whose income, history and behaviour all point the same way: they can afford the rent, they have paid on time before, and they communicate clearly. None of these show up from a single document, so we look at several together.
Affordability is the first filter. Payslips, three months of bank statements, or a tax return for self-employed applicants all show whether income is stable and sufficient. Rental history matters just as much: a previous landlord reference should confirm payment punctuality, property condition at move-out and whether notice periods were respected.
Credit and background checks add a third layer. A credit bureau report shows debt levels and payment defaults, and you should record the date, reference number and outcome of every check you run, in case a decision is ever disputed.
- Affordability: proof of income should show a clear, repeatable monthly amount, not a single deposit.
- Rental history: ask the previous landlord about payment record, not just "would you rent to them again".
- Credit check: look for patterns of default, not a single missed payment years ago.
- Behaviour: note how promptly and clearly an applicant communicates during the process itself.
Many landlord guides now treat a defined, consistent scoring rubric as standard practice, because it reduces bias and gives you a defensible reason for every decision. Keep in mind that the Rental Housing Act prohibits unfair discrimination in both advertising and tenant selection, so your criteria need to stay focused on affordability and reliability rather than personal characteristics.
Where to find good tenants: channels and ad-targeting tactics
Where you advertise shapes who applies. A listing on a general classifieds site pulls a wide, unfiltered audience, while a verified rental marketplace tends to attract applicants who have already gone through some form of identity check before they even message you.
- Verified marketplace platforms: filter out anonymous or unverifiable enquiries before they reach you.
- Employer relocation programmes: often pre-vet employees moving for work, which shortens your own screening.
- Local community groups: useful for smaller towns where personal reputation carries weight.
- Letting agents: take on advertising and initial screening for a fee, typically a percentage of the first month's rent or an ongoing management commission.
Your advert itself does some of the filtering. Be specific about rent, deposit, move-in date and any non-negotiable requirements such as minimum income multiples, but avoid any wording that touches on protected characteristics rather than financial or behavioural criteria.
Structured viewing requests help too. Asking applicants to confirm move-in date, household size and employment status before you schedule a viewing weeds out casual browsers and saves you from wasted appointments. If you decide a letting agent makes sense for your situation, compare their fee structure against the time you would otherwise spend on viewings and paperwork yourself.
A step-by-step tenant screening workflow
A consistent process beats judgement calls made on the spot. Here is a workflow you can repeat for every applicant.
- Pre-screen by phone or message. Confirm employment status, approximate income, desired move-in date and household size before booking a viewing.
- Conduct the viewing. Note punctuality, how the applicant treats the property, and whether their questions suggest genuine interest rather than a backup option.
- Collect the application documents. Request ID, proof of income, bank statements and landlord references as a single package rather than piecemeal.
- Run your checks. Verify ID authenticity, pull a credit bureau report, confirm employment directly with the employer, and call the previous landlord rather than relying on a written reference alone.
- Compare and decide. Score every applicant against the same rubric and keep a written record of why you chose the successful candidate.
Document checklist for the application stage:
- Certified copy or verified scan of ID
- Most recent payslip or, for self-employed applicants, a SARS tax return
- Three months of bank statements
- Contactable landlord reference with phone number
- Proof of current address
Fraud prevention deserves its own attention at this stage. Tampered payslips often show inconsistent fonts or misaligned figures, and a fake ID may have a photo that does not quite match the person in front of you or security features that feel slightly off. Calling the employer's main switchboard number, rather than a number the applicant gives you, confirms employment far more reliably than a text message ever will.
Pro Tip: Call the previous landlord directly instead of relying on a written reference letter, since a phone conversation reveals tone and hesitation that a letter cannot.
How to evaluate applicants: a simple scoring rubric and red flags
Once documents and checks are in, score each applicant on the same four categories so no single factor decides the outcome on its own.
- Affordability (40%): income comfortably covers rent with margin for other expenses.
- Rental history and references (30%): confirmed on-time payments and respectful property use.
- Credit and background checks (20%): no significant unresolved defaults or disputes.
- Fit and communication (10%): responsive, clear, and realistic about the property's condition and rules.
Watch for red flags that cut across categories: documents that look edited, a string of very short previous tenancies, or unexplained gaps in rental history that the applicant cannot account for clearly. Any of these warrants a follow-up question before you proceed, not an automatic rejection, since there are often legitimate explanations.
Keep a written record of scores and the reasoning behind your final decision. This protects you if a rejected applicant later disputes the outcome, and it gives you a reference point for future lettings on the same property.
For borderline applicants, conditional approaches often work better than an outright yes or no: a guarantor, a slightly higher deposit, or a shorter initial lease with a review after three months all let you manage risk without turning away someone who might otherwise be a solid tenant.
Screening special cases: self-employed tenants, guarantors and international applicants
Applicants without a standard payslip need a different evidence trail, not a lower standard.
- Self-employed applicants: request SARS tax returns, six months of bank statements showing regular deposits, and invoices or contracts where available. Guidance on acceptable proof-of-income formats is a useful reference point when deciding what to accept.
- Guarantors: should meet or exceed the same income and credit standard you would apply to the tenant themselves, verified with the same documents.
- International or newly arrived applicants: verify ID through passport and visa or permit documentation, and request references from an international landlord where one exists.
- Added safeguards: a higher deposit, a shorter initial lease, or a requirement for automated monthly payments all reduce your exposure while you build a track record with a new tenant.
None of these applicants should be screened out automatically. The goal is equivalent proof through a different document trail.
Attracting and retaining good tenants: presentation, pricing and clear leases
A well-presented property attracts a better calibre of applicant from the start. Clear photos, a recent deep clean and any minor repairs completed before listing all signal that you run a well-maintained property, which tends to filter in tenants who will treat it the same way.
Pricing matters just as much. Rent set close to the local market rate, with all move-in costs (deposit, first month, any admin fee) stated upfront, avoids the back-and-forth that wastes time for both sides.
- Photos and presentation: fix visible issues before listing, not after a tenant complains.
- Transparent pricing: state rent, deposit and move-in costs together in the advert.
- Clear lease clauses: spell out repair reporting channels, notice periods and contact methods.
- Retention: respond to maintenance requests promptly and check in periodically without being intrusive.
Pro Tip: A lease that clearly states how to report a repair, and how quickly you will respond, prevents most of the friction that leads to late payments or early move-outs.
How verification-first platforms reduce risk
A chunk of the screening workload can be handled before an applicant ever reaches your inbox. Verification-first marketplaces check identity and listing details upfront, which cuts down on the fake enquiries and wasted viewings that come with open classified ads.
- Identity verification: applicants are checked before they can message a landlord, reducing anonymous or fraudulent enquiries.
- Listing verification: reduces the risk of either side dealing with a fake or misrepresented property.
- Secure in-platform messaging: keeps personal contact details private until both sides are ready to share them.
- Structured viewing requests: applicants confirm intent and basic details before a viewing is booked, so you spend less time on no-shows.
This kind of structure does not replace the checks described above. It simply removes a layer of uncertainty before you get to them.
Author perspective: lessons from managing multiple rentals
Consistency beats instinct. Score every applicant the same way and write down why you chose who you chose, because memory fades and disputes do not wait for a convenient moment. Never skip the landlord reference call, even when a document package looks complete, since a five-minute conversation often reveals what paperwork cannot.
There is a real trade-off between speed and certainty. A faster decision risks missing a red flag, while an overly slow process can cost you a strong applicant who accepts another offer. Following a fixed workflow, rather than improvising for each new application, is what keeps that balance manageable over time.
— Justknow
Darava: a verification-first way to find verified applicants
We built Darava around the same screening logic this article walks through, with identity and property verification handled before an applicant ever reaches your inbox. Listing on such a platform means the enquiries you get have already cleared an identity check, which cuts down on the fake messages and wasted viewings that come with open listing sites.
- Verified participants: both landlords and tenants go through identity checks before they can message each other.
- Secure messaging: contact details stay private until you choose to share them.
- Structured viewing requests: applicants confirm intent before a viewing gets booked, saving you time.
If the workflow above is the process, think of listing with us as the first filter in it. List your property on Darava and start reviewing applicants who have already been through identity verification.
FAQ
What are red flags for tenants?
Red flags include tampered or inconsistent documents, a pattern of very short previous tenancies, and unexplained gaps in rental history that the applicant cannot account for. None of these automatically disqualify someone, but each warrants a direct follow-up question before you proceed.
What is the 1% rule in real estate?
The
rule is a rough guideline some investors use, where monthly rent should equal roughly 1% of a property's purchase price for the investment to be considered cash-flow positive. It is a quick screening tool for buying decisions rather than a formal standard, and local market conditions affect whether it holds up in practice.How much do agents charge for finding tenants?
Letting agents typically charge either a percentage of the first month's rent as a once-off finder's fee, or an ongoing management commission calculated as a percentage of monthly rent. The exact structure varies by agent and by how much of the screening and management process they take on.
What is the best way to find private landlords?
Verified rental marketplaces, local community groups and direct enquiries to landlords advertising independently are the main routes, each offering a different balance of convenience and verification. A platform that verifies listings before they go live, such as Darava, reduces the risk of dealing with a fake or misrepresented listing compared with open classifieds.