How to sell yourself to a landlord as the best choice

Article summary

• Treat meetings with landlords like job interviews. Be on time and well dressed.
• Get a letter of recommendation from a former landlord or an employer.
• Indicate that your financial situation is secure by offering a few months’ rent in advance.

The tragedy of the lockdown period is that many people lost sources of income and were unable to pay rent as a result. Now prospective tenants have to struggle with the ramifications of that as landlords become more careful about who they lease to.

So what can you do to improve your chances of obtaining a lease? We provide some tips.

Note If you’re in the market to buy a property rather than rent, you can use our Home Loan Calculators to determine what you will pay on a home loan, transfer costs, and more. It provides significant aid in planning your budget.

How to impress landlords

1. Arrive on time and look presentable for meetings.
2. Provide a letter of recommendation.
3. Offer to pay more rent.
4. Provide one month’s rent in advance.
5. Have a guarantor.
6. Be honest.

1. Arrive on time and look presentable

If you can’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of an apartment? This is what the landlord will be thinking if you show up to a meeting late and/or underdressed. Treat it the way you would a job interview.

2. Provide a letter of recommendation

A letter from a previous landlord who had few issues with you would be ideal, but there are other options.

You could get a letter from your boss, for example, saying that you’re a hard worker and highly professional. This shows the landlord that you’re diligent, and also that your job, and thereby your income, is secure.

3. Offer to pay more rent

Rent isn’t set in stone, it can be negotiated up or down depending on the market. In the current climate, offering to pay slightly higher rent could seal the deal for you. Even if you offer just a small addition, it sends a message to the landlord that you’re confident in your financial situation.

4. Provide one month’s rent in advance

In addition to the deposit, you could provide one or even several months’ rent in advance. This is money in the bank for the landlord and shows that you’re planning ahead financially.

5. Have a guarantor

Many aren’t aware that they have this option. If you’re not certain of your credit record or financial situation, you can still give yourself a good chance by having someone with a good credit record and a steady income sign on as a guarantor. It will be enough for the landlord to know that someone, even if it’s not you, is going to be able to afford the rent.

6. Be honest

There have been incidences where a tenant has told a landlord they don’t have a criminal record, only for one to show up on the background check. Being upfront about such information may harm your chances, but keeping it hidden and being found out will kill your chances completely.

Landlords will usually perform background checks so, as always, honesty is the best policy.