Verify Landlord Legitimacy Before Renting

Cost Savings

Checklist Tasks

• Obtain landlord’s full legal name and match to property records to confirm ownership.
• Contact property management or HOA to confirm landlord’s leasing authority.
• Check landlord’s government-issued ID against property tax records for verification.
• Request two recent tenant references and ask about repairs or deposit issues.
• Independently verify landlord’s business address and contact information.
• Check local housing authority for recent code violations or complaints.
• Review current utility bills to confirm no unpaid property balances.
• Request written proof of deposit process and bank account details for funds held.
• Ask about emergency repair response time and request documented tenant examples.
• Confirm landlord’s insurance covers rental liability; request policy summary.
• Check eviction history in court records to spot problematic landlord patterns.
• Request previous move-in and move-out checklists for fairness assessment.