It pays to know your rental property outside in and inside out because potential tenants which landlords talk with during the screening are going to have a lot of questions around the property. What they may ask you varies significantly from school zoning all the way through to who is responsible for maintenance. 

Here are seven of the biggest questions questions a person may ask you during the screening process.

1. When can I move into the property?

The potential tenants have a schedule to keep and need to understand how the availability may impact their life situation. Try to be as accommodating as possible by seeing what would work best for each person and know yourself when the property will fall vacant.

2. How long is the lease for?

This will come down to your personal preference and also whether people actually want a set lease period - they will probably want to know so they can evaluate how beneficial it is for them to make the move. Longer leases give you more assurance and continuity, while shorter leases which get renewed allow bad tenants to be removed sooner. 

3. When are the rent payments due?

Before this question is even asked, you should have a system and policy with these dates in place that you can give your tenant. Rent tends to be one of the larger bills a tenant has allow for. Having a clear rent process in place allows them to plan ahead so they can make the payments in a timely manner.

4. Who is responsible for maintenance?

This area divides itself clearly into two categories, with some responsibility falling on the tenants and some of the responsibility falling on the landlords. Whoever is living in your property usually does general maintenance such as vacuuming, bathroom cleaning and mowing the lawn. You, the landlord, are responsible for the bigger roles such as house painting and gutter cleaning.

5. Who is responsible for paying the different expenses?

Know your boundaries as there can often be uncertainty around who is responsible for various utility expenses, particularly the water bill and electricity. Tenancy services has an informative outline of the various expenses and who is responsible for them.

6. How much notice will you give before entering the property?

It is important to respect the privacy of the people living in our house and it can feel invasive for a tenant if landlords just walk into the property unannounced. Most instances require at least 24 hours notice but it often helps to give them more so they can prepare accordingly.

7. What does an ideal tenant look like to you?

There are some areas in New Zealand with a high demand for rental properties, particularly in the Auckland area, you can often hand pick someone who meets all your needs. When it comes down to it, you should know the exact qualities they must have, such as paying rent on time, caring for the property and living in harmony with the neighbours. And after explaining these qualities, you should know if the people in front of you are a good match.

Discover how to avoid risky tenants in the Guide below.