5 Signs of a Bad Tenant You Should Never Ignore

By PropsManager Team · Tenant Screening · Mar 14, 2025

A bad tenant can wreck your finances faster than a burst pipe in January.

I'm not exaggerating. The average eviction in the United States costs a landlord between $3,500 and $10,000 when you factor in lost rent, court fees, attorney costs, and turnover expenses. That's if the tenant doesn't trash the place on the way out. If they do? You're looking at $10,000 to $25,000 or more in damages, legal fees, and vacancy losses — sometimes wiping out an entire year's profit on a single unit.

The thing is, most bad tenant situations are avoidable. Almost every landlord who's been burned will tell you the same thing: "The red flags were there. I just didn't want to see them."

This guide breaks down the five most reliable warning signs that a prospective tenant is going to cause problems. These aren't hypotheticals — they're patterns that experienced property managers see over and over again, backed by data and real-world outcomes. If you spot even one of these signs, slow down. If you spot two or more, walk away.

Why Screening Matters More Than You Think

Let's put some numbers on this. According to TransUnion's annual rental survey, landlords who use comprehensive tenant screening report 47% fewer evictions compared to those who rely on gut instinct or minimal checks. The National Apartment Association estimates that the total cost of a single bad tenant — from move-in to eviction to re-renting — averages $7,685.

That's not pocket change. For a landlord with a $1,200/month rental, a single eviction eats roughly six months of gross rent. For a small portfolio owner with three or four doors, one bad tenant can turn an otherwise profitable year into a money pit.

Here's the thing: screening isn't just about running a credit check and calling it a day. It's about recognizing behavioral patterns during the application process and the showing itself. The five signs below are your early warning system.

Sign #1: They're in a Desperate Rush to Move In

"I need to move in this weekend. Can we skip the application?"

That sentence should make every hair on the back of your neck stand up.

Look, legitimate reasons for a quick move do exist. A job relocation. A house fire. A divorce. But when a prospective tenant is pressuring you to hand over keys immediately — before you've run a background check, verified employment, or called references — that urgency almost always masks a problem.

What the Rush Usually Means

• They're facing eviction at their current place and need somewhere to land before the sheriff shows up
• They've burned bridges with their current landlord and are trying to get out before things escalate
• They know they won't pass screening and are hoping you'll skip it under time pressure
• They're running a scam, trying to get occupancy established before you realize the checks bounced

A landlord in Phoenix shared this story with me: a guy showed up to a showing with a cashier's check for first month, last month, and deposit. All three months. Cash in hand. He begged to move in that day. The landlord — thankfully — stuck to her process and ran the screening anyway. The applicant had three prior evictions and an active warrant. That cashier's check? It would have bounced too.

How to Handle It

Be empathetic but firm. You can say something like: "I understand you're in a time crunch, and I'll process your application as quickly as possible. But I screen every applicant the same way, and I can't make exceptions." If they push back aggressively or threaten to walk, let them walk. The right tenant will respect your process.

A tool like PropsManager can speed up your screening workflow significantly — automated background checks, employment verification, and reference collection mean you can turn around an application in 24 to 48 hours instead of a week. But never skip it entirely.

Sign #2: Their Application Is Incomplete or Inconsistent

An incomplete rental application isn't just sloppy. It's strategic.

When a prospective tenant leaves the employment section blank, omits previous addresses, or "forgets" to include their landlord's phone number, they're usually hiding something they don't want you to find. Maybe it's a job loss. Maybe it's an eviction. Maybe it's a criminal record. Whatever it is, blank spaces on an application are not neutral — they're red flags.

Specific Things to Watch For

The "I'll Get It to You Later" Trap

Here's a common tactic: the applicant submits a partial application and promises to fill in the rest "tomorrow" or "once I get home." Tomorrow turns into three days. Then a week. Then they're asking when they can move in even though you still don't have their previous landlord's number.

Don't fall for this. Set a firm deadline — 48 hours is reasonable — and make completing every field a non-negotiable requirement before you begin processing. If they can't be bothered to fill out a two-page form completely, imagine how they'll treat your lease terms.

I once had an applicant who listed their previous address but gave a disconnected phone number for the landlord. When I looked up the property owner through county records, the real owner told me the applicant had been evicted for $4,200 in unpaid rent and had left holes punched in every interior door. The "landlord" phone number the applicant provided? It was their cousin.

Always verify independently. Don't just call the number they give you — look up the property ownership records yourself. It takes five extra minutes and can save you thousands.

Sign #3: They Trash-Talk Every Previous Landlord

Everyone has a bad landlord story. One. Maybe two if they're unlucky.

But when a prospective tenant spends the entire showing ranting about how every single landlord they've ever had was unreasonable, neglectful, or out to get them, that's not bad luck. That's a pattern — and you're about to become the next chapter.

Why This Matters

Tenants who constantly blame landlords for every conflict typically share a few characteristics:

• They don't take responsibility. When rent is late, it's because the landlord "didn't fix the faucet." When there's a noise complaint, the neighbors are "lying."
• They're litigious or threatening. They've learned that threatening to call the health department or file a complaint is an effective way to avoid consequences.
• They weaponize maintenance requests. Instead of reporting issues in good faith, they stockpile complaints and use them as leverage when you try to enforce lease terms.

A property manager in Dallas told me about a tenant who seemed charming during the showing but casually mentioned that her last three landlords had all "refused to return her deposit." Three landlords in a row? That's not three bad landlords — that's one bad tenant. Sure enough, she stopped paying rent four months in, filed a frivolous habitability complaint to stall the eviction, and left the unit with $8,500 in damages. The deposit covered about 15% of the repair bill.

What to Listen For

Pay attention during the showing and any conversations. Reasonable tenants might mention a specific issue — "my last apartment had a slow maintenance response" — without making it personal. Bad tenants make it personal. They call landlords "slumlords," accuse them of being greedy, or claim they were "illegally evicted." These are warning signs, especially if every story follows the same victim narrative.

You can even use this as a soft screening question: "Why are you leaving your current place?" A straightforward answer ("my lease is up and I want more space") is healthy. A five-minute rant about how terrible their current landlord is? That's your cue to proceed with extreme caution — or not proceed at all.

For more on navigating difficult tenant situations, read our guide on dealing with unauthorized occupants, which covers how to handle occupancy disputes before they escalate.

Sign #4: They Try to Negotiate Everything Before Signing

There's a difference between a tenant who asks a reasonable question about lease terms and one who's trying to nickel-and-dime you on every line item before they've even submitted an application.

When someone tries to haggle down the security deposit, asks if they can pay first month's rent in installments, requests a discount on the monthly rent because of some minor cosmetic issue, or tries to negotiate pet fees before they've even seen the lease — they're telling you something. They either can't afford your property or they view the landlord-tenant relationship as adversarial from day one.

The Financial Red Flag

Think about it this way. Your security deposit is, say, $1,500. If a prospective tenant can't come up with $1,500 for a deposit — money they're going to get back assuming they don't destroy the place — how are they going to handle a $1,500/month rent payment when their car breaks down or their hours get cut?

According to a Federal Reserve study, 37% of Americans can't cover an unexpected $400 expense. For tenants in that bracket, a single bad month can cascade into missed rent, partial payments, and eventually eviction. The security deposit is your canary in the coal mine. If they can't handle the deposit, they can't handle the rent.

Common Negotiation Tactics That Signal Trouble

• "Can I pay the deposit over three months?" — They don't have the funds to move in properly
• "The carpet is a little worn, so I should get $100 off the rent" — They'll use every minor issue as leverage throughout the tenancy
• "Can you waive the pet deposit? My dog is really well-behaved" — They'll push boundaries on other lease terms too
• "My last landlord only charged $X for rent" — They're anchoring to a lower number and will resent paying your rate
• "I'll sign a two-year lease if you lower the rent $200/month" — Do the math: that's $4,800 in lost revenue, and a two-year lease means you can't adjust to market rates

When Negotiation Is Okay

To be fair, some negotiation is perfectly normal and healthy. A tenant who asks about the length of the lease, requests a minor repair before move-in, or inquires about whether utilities are included is being diligent — not difficult. The red flag isn't asking questions. It's pressuring you to reduce your financial protections before the relationship even begins.

For more about managing deposits and the disputes that come with them, check out our detailed guide on how to handle security deposit disputes.

Sign #5: Their Credit Report or Rental History Tells a Story

Past behavior is the single most reliable predictor of future behavior. Period.

A credit report with a 520 score, three collections accounts, and a prior eviction judgment is not a person who's "going through a rough patch." That's a pattern. And patterns don't change just because someone moved into your unit.

What to Look For in a Credit Report

• Credit score below 600: This varies by market, but anything under 600 generally indicates chronic financial instability
• Prior eviction judgments: This is the biggest red flag of all. Someone who's been legally evicted has gone through months of nonpayment and ignored multiple opportunities to resolve the situation
• Multiple collections accounts: Especially medical debt combined with utility debt and credit card debt — it signals someone who's overextended across the board
• Recent bankruptcies: While a bankruptcy isn't automatically disqualifying, a recent one (within two years) combined with other red flags is concerning
• High debt-to-income ratio: If their monthly debt payments eat up more than 40% of their gross income before rent, they're going to struggle

Beyond the Credit Report

Don't stop at credit. Call previous landlords — and I mean actually call them. Here are questions that get real answers:

1. "Did the tenant pay rent on time?" (Not "was the tenant good?" — that's too vague.)
2. "Would you rent to this person again?" (This question cuts through politeness fast.)
3. "Were there any lease violations during the tenancy?"
4. "How did the tenant leave the unit? Was the deposit fully returned?"
5. "Did the tenant give proper notice before vacating?"

Pro tip: Skip the current landlord and go straight to the one before. Why? Because a current landlord who wants a bad tenant gone has every incentive to give a glowing reference just to get rid of them. The previous landlord has no such motive — they'll tell you the truth.

A landlord in Ohio told me he always asks previous landlords: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tenant?" Anything below an 8 is a pass. Sounds harsh, but he hasn't had an eviction in eleven years.

Setting Your Standards

You need written screening criteria that you apply consistently to every applicant. This isn't just good practice — it's a legal requirement under Fair Housing laws. Your criteria should include minimum credit score, income requirements (typically 3x monthly rent), no prior evictions, and satisfactory landlord references. Apply the same criteria to every single applicant, document your decisions, and you'll be on solid footing both legally and financially.

PropsManager's screening features let you set these criteria once and apply them automatically to every application, generating consistent, auditable decisions that protect you from both bad tenants and discrimination claims.

The Cost of Ignoring These Signs: A Real-World Breakdown

Let's say you ignore the warning signs and rent to a problem tenant. Here's what a typical bad tenancy costs, based on industry averages:

Compare that to the cost of proper screening: typically $30 to $75 per applicant, which you can often pass along as an application fee. The math isn't even close.

How to Build a Bulletproof Screening Process

Knowing the red flags is only half the battle. You need a system that catches them consistently, even when you're busy, tired, or tempted to fill a vacancy quickly.

Step 1: Standardize Your Application

Use the same application for every prospective tenant. Every field is mandatory. No exceptions. This gives you an apples-to-apples comparison and makes incomplete applications obvious immediately.

Step 2: Verify Everything Independently

Don't take the applicant's word for anything that can be verified. Call employers directly using the company's main number (not the one on the application). Look up previous landlords through property records. Run the credit and background check yourself through a reputable service.

Step 3: Set Clear Criteria Before You Advertise

Decide your minimum requirements before you post the listing. Write them down. This prevents you from rationalizing a borderline applicant just because you're eager to fill the unit.

Step 4: Trust Your Process, Not Your Gut

Your gut might say "they seemed nice." Your screening process says they have a 540 credit score and two prior evictions. Trust the data. Nice people can be terrible tenants.

Step 5: Use Technology to Stay Consistent

This is where property management software earns its keep. When you're managing multiple applications across several properties, it's easy for things to slip through the cracks. A platform like PropsManager centralizes your applications, automates background and credit checks, tracks reference verifications, and stores everything in one place. No more sticky notes and spreadsheets.

Curious about how much this actually costs? Check out our pricing page — you might be surprised at how affordable it is compared to the cost of one bad tenant.

What to Do When You Spot These Red Flags

Spotting a red flag doesn't always mean an instant rejection. But it should trigger a specific response:

1. One minor flag (e.g., slightly below your credit threshold but strong references): Proceed with additional verification. Maybe require a cosigner or a larger deposit where legally permitted.
2. One major flag (e.g., prior eviction, income below 2.5x rent): Decline. Document your reason based on your written criteria.
3. Multiple flags: Decline immediately. Don't rationalize it.
4. Pressure or evasion when you ask follow-up questions: Decline. Honest applicants don't get defensive when you verify their information.

Remember: your written screening criteria protect you here. As long as you apply the same standards to everyone, you're within your rights to decline applicants who don't meet them. This also protects you from Fair Housing complaints because your decisions are based on objective, documented criteria — not subjective feelings.

If you're dealing with the aftermath of a bad tenant situation, our guide on what to do when a tenant abandons the property covers the legal and practical steps for recovering your unit.

Explore More PropsManager Resources

Looking for the right property management software? Check out our in-depth guides:

• Compare Property Management Software — See how PropsManager stacks up against Buildium, AppFolio, Rent Manager, and Propertyware.
• Software for Small Landlords — Built for landlords managing 1–50 units without the enterprise price tag.
• AI-Powered Property Management — Discover how automation can save you 5–10 hours per week.
• Solutions for Property Managers — Scale from 50 to 500+ units without scaling your costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest red flag in a tenant application?

A prior eviction is the single biggest red flag. It means the tenant not only failed to pay rent but went through the entire legal eviction process — which takes months in most states. By the time a landlord files for eviction, they've typically tried to work with the tenant multiple times. An eviction on record means all of those attempts failed. Combine that with a low credit score, and you're looking at a near-certain repeat.

Can I reject a tenant for having bad credit?

Yes, you can reject a tenant for poor credit as long as you apply the same credit criteria to every applicant consistently. This means having a written minimum credit score requirement that's part of your standard screening criteria. You cannot, however, use credit as a pretext for discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, familial status, sex, disability, or other protected classes under the Fair Housing Act. Document your criteria and apply them uniformly.

How much does a bad tenant actually cost?

The total cost of a bad tenant ranges from $8,800 to $29,500 or more depending on the situation. This includes lost rent during the eviction process (typically 3 to 5 months), legal and court costs ($1,500 to $3,500), property damage repairs, cleaning, and the vacancy period while you re-rent. In extreme cases involving major property damage or prolonged legal battles, costs can exceed $40,000. By contrast, thorough tenant screening costs $30 to $75 per applicant.

How do I verify a tenant's rental history?

Don't just call the phone number the applicant provides for previous landlords — that number might belong to a friend or family member posing as a landlord. Instead, look up the property address through your county's property records or tax assessor's website to find the actual owner. Then contact them directly. Ask specific questions: "Did the tenant pay on time? Would you rent to them again? How was the unit's condition at move-out?" Also request at least two previous landlord references, not just the current one.

Should I ever make exceptions to my screening criteria?

Rarely, and only with additional safeguards. If an applicant is slightly below your credit threshold but has strong income, excellent landlord references, and a reasonable explanation (like medical debt from a specific event), you might consider requiring a cosigner or a larger security deposit where local law permits. But never lower your standards on major criteria like prior evictions or income requirements. The moment you start making exceptions, you lose the consistency that protects you legally and financially.

Take Control of Your Tenant Screening

Every experienced landlord has a horror story. The tenant who seemed perfect at the showing but stopped paying rent three months in. The couple who passed the credit check but turned out to be running an illegal business from the spare bedroom. The guy who gave a sob story about why his last landlord was terrible — and then did the exact same things to you.

You don't have to learn these lessons the hard way. The five signs above aren't guarantees that someone will be a bad tenant, but they're reliable indicators that you need to dig deeper — or walk away entirely.

The best defense is a consistent, thorough screening process backed by technology that doesn't let things fall through the cracks. PropsManager was built specifically for landlords and property managers who want to screen tenants objectively, manage applications efficiently, and protect their investments with data — not guesswork.

Stop gambling on gut feelings. Request a demo today and see how PropsManager can help you find reliable tenants and avoid the ones who'll cost you thousands.