Comprehensive Tenant Verification

A property is a critical asset to its owner. There is a huge demand for properties on rent and renting a property is an excellent source of revenue. Such a business comes with a lot of challenges. So the government of India has formulated the “Model Tenancy Act, 2019,” which aims at easing the process of renting the property to both the owner and the tenant.  

While handing over a property to a tenant, one should verify the tenant’s background, which is a form of assuring the safety of the property. Along with this, tenant police verification is also a part of ensuring that the tenant can pay rent on time, is of good background and does not have any criminal history. In this article, let us in detail understand all that it takes to verify a tenant. 

What is Tenant Verification?

A tenant is a person who is taking the property on rent from the owner/landlord. Verifying this tenant means checking their background through certain set procedures such as tenant police verification, which can be done by visiting the nearby police station and providing the rent details, or you can do it online. This is called tenant police verification which can be done through the tenant police verification form.  

The landlord is considered responsible for any illegal activity in the property, and hence, online tenant verification is the most important part of letting out the property on rent. A property is an essential asset to its owner. There is a huge demand for properties on rent and renting a property is a great source of revenue. Due to this,  Model Tenancy Act, 2019 has proven to be helpful.   

If you own a house that you want to rent out, you must verify the tenant’s identity you intend to rent out your property. Tenant police verification is as important as making a rent agreement with your tenant. Generally, renting out your house is a simple process of agreeing on the monthly rent, security deposit and getting a formal rental agreement done. 

At the outset, you will probably never expect that your tenant will get into illegal activities like peddling drugs, giving shelter to a terrorist or being involved in any crime or anti-social activity. It would be not easy to judge someone by their appearance or behaviour when interacting with them a few times. Ensuring that your tenant has no criminal background assures your smooth transaction with them and provides peace in society. Therefore, tenant police verification is not only necessary but also mandated by the law. 

What is Tenant Verification Form?

A tenant verification form is a document to gather information about a potential tenant for the landlord’s benefit. This form shall contain the previous residence details of the prospective tenant, photographs, id proof, address proof, etc. The landlord may send this to previous references to procure further information and reliable facts concerning the prospective tenant. 

The tenant verificationform and procedures differ for each state. Tenant Police Verification Formis usually available online as well in the local police station. In some cities like Delhi and Nashik, one can also fill up the form through mobile apps. In most cities, one can go online, fill the tenant verification form, provide the required details online, and verify without visiting the police station. In some cities, the physical visit is a part of the process under certain discrepancies.

You can find the Tenant Police Verification Form pdf here. http://kolkatapolice.gov.in/images/docs/TenantProfile.pdf

Type of Tenant Verification

There are two types of tenant verification:

1. Tenant verification can be done completely online by providing the required details.
2. Tenant verification can also be done by visiting the local police station and filling up the physical form available at the station.  

The landlord has the above two options available to them for completing the process of tenant verification. Firstly, the landlord may visit the nearby police station for police tenant verification; they have to fill up a form (which is available online too). All the details of the property and the tenant are to be mentioned. The documents such as id proof and address proof are required to be submitted too. Alternatively, the second option is an online process. The landlord may log in to the official website of the concerned police station and place a request for Tenant verification. 

What is the process of tenant verification?

The general process, irrespective of the city, is as follows:

1. Procure the police verification form at the local police station or download it online about your state.
2. Fill in the tenant and landlord details as prescribed in the form. Reference numbers may also be asked for.
3. A passport size photo is required.    
4. Provide photo identification like a voter ID/Aadhar Card/ Ration Card/Passport/Driver’s Licence details
5. Sign the form duly
6. Save the acknowledgement receipt after submitting the form.

Further, the landlord may also download the application form or visit the concerned police station and collect the form. There would be a nominal fee to be paid. Once the fee is paid, the landlord must carry the receipt towards the fee paid. With the above procedure completed, the landlord should visit the concerned police station and submit the filled form, the payment receipt and the required documents, i.e.; 

1. Filled form
2. Payment receipt
3. Photocopy of Address proof
4. Photocopy of ID proof
5. Photocopy of the rental agreement
6. Original address and id proof only for verification need not be submitted. 

How do I fill out a tenant verification form online?

Different states have different URLs for applying tenant verificationforms online. Lookup for the URL in your city and fill up the details required. You may need a passport size photo which needs to be uploaded along with the form. 

For example, in Mumbai: Visit https://mumbaipolice.gov.in/TenantForm?ps_id=0.

Note:

1. OTP will be sent to the owner’s contact number
2. The homeowner’s address and the leased property address should not be the same.
3. If the concerned police need to verify the information in the application, the applicant/ property owner should visit the police station accordingly. If there is a discrepancy in the information in the application, legal action can be taken against the applicant/homeowner.
4. Once the form is downloaded, the landlord must fill in their details such as full name, current place of residence and submit a valid id proof. 
5. The tenant details are full name, father/husband’s name, Date of birth, contact number, alternate number, current residence, time in the current residence, permanent address, and criminal cases. Once this process is completed, the same has to be submitted to the concerned police station. 

Disclaimer:

• This application provides information about renting a house/place within the jurisdiction of Brihan Mumbai only to inform Mumbai Police.
• House/Property Owner and Tenant should confirm that the information mentioned above is true.
• A false report to Police is a punishable offence.

   

How do I write a rental verification letter?

A rental verification letter is a request letter fortenant police verification. The letter shall contain the date the letter was written addressing the letter to the concerned police station with complete address. The subject shall mention the request for police verification of the tenant, followed by detailed information regarding the rental premises and the prospective tenant, ending with the landlord’s name and address. A rental verification letter will show the landlord that they have paid their rent on time for a specified period. 

It is important that the letter gives the right information to fulfill the tenant’s requirements but doesn’t violate their privacy. 

Here are some tips for the landlords to follow when they need to write the verification letter:

• Landlords should make sure they have maintained records of the tenant’s rent payments. 
• The records should include the moving-in date, the amount of rent they paid, along with the date of payment. 
• The letter should include the time the tenant has lived in the property and when the lease expires.
• If the landlord is a real estate company, the letter should be written on letterhead. 
• It should be addressed to the right person. The tenant will be able to give that information to the landlord.
• Do not give a generic letter that could be used for any purpose. A dishonest tenant could use it to rent another property.
• The first sentence should explain who is writing the letter along with the objective. It should also give the name of the tenant, so the purpose of the letter is clear. The writer may be a property owner or the manager of the property. 
• The landlord could include a line of appreciation on the tenant’s character if the landlord was satisfied during the tenant’s stay. For example, the landlord may say that the tenant kept the house in excellent condition and paid the monthly rent on time.

What is Tenant form?

A tenant form ortenant police verification form is a document created by the landlord for interested tenants to shortlist the desired candidates based on the application form. The rental application shall mention personal information of the tenant such as their full name, date of birth, details of other occupants, their current place of residence, their current place of employment, reference numbers if they own any pets, and any other details that may be of concern to the landlord. 

The landlord provides a tenant form that has to be filled out by the tenant before the landlord agrees to let the tenant live in their property for a specified period of time. The tenant form will have basic details of the applicant like the name, age, address, occupation, number of co-residents, passport size photograph, emergency contact numbers, referral contacts, a photo ID proof and any other important details required by the landlord.

How to fill tenant verification form online

The landlord may download the application form. A nominal fee will be charged, and there shall be an option for online payment. 

Tenant Police Verification Online

The benefits of tenant police verification are significant. If the landlord is residing abroad, they may breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their property is rented out to a reliable tenant. The tenants are also aware that their personal and official details are with the police, and any misconduct on their part shall have severe consequences and repercussions. It further helps in curtailing terror-related activities and curbing crime. The concerned person may apply for tenant police verification online, through which this verification can be done easily.

Documents required for tenant police verification

1. Passport size photographs.
2. Any ID Proof of the following to verify Address: Passport, Ration Card, Voter ID, BSNL Telephone Bill, Gas Bill, Driving Licence, Aadhar Card, Rental Agreement (Original).
3. ID Proof for verification of Date of Birth.
4. Rental Agreement with Lawyer Notary.
5. Printout of Processing fee Payment Receipt.

How to do police verification for rent online?

It is mandatory and required by the law that every landlord registers for tenant verification online or download the Tenant Police Verification form. The law is evident and stringent regarding police verification of their tenants by their landlords. Under Section-188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a person who fails to follow the law laid down, a convict may be “punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or a monetary penalty of Rs 200.”

Steps to be followed for online verification:

Step 1– Open the official police website of the city you reside in. 

Step 2– A menu with several options will pop up. Choose citizen services

Step 3– Click on the option for Tenant registration

Step 4– It will provide an option to create an account. Do so by filling in the comprehensive details regarding full name, date of birth, present residence, permanent residence, occupation, gender, mobile number, landline number, email id etc. 

Step 5– Fill in the details in the form. 

Step 6– Submit the form once submitted. 

Step 7– Enter the OTP sent to your mobile/email id. 

Step 8– Click on verify. 

Step 9– Attach identifies proof and passport size photograph of the tenant. 

Step 10– Enter tenant details. 

Step 11– Click on submit. The application is uploaded now. Take a printout of the acknowledgement.

You Might Also Like

• Tenant Police Verification: Why it is essential and the whole process behind it.
• Conducting police verification of tenants- A handy guide
• Government of Maharashtra Announces Redevelopment Policy for Tenanted Buildings
• GNIDA gets a much-needed realty boost plus other developments in Noida real estate market
• Decoding Home Loan Sanction Letter

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)