The wrong tenant costs more than an empty month. Before you accept, check three things: identity, proof of income, and a reference from the previous landlord. Rent should sit under a third of their monthly income. Store the documents securely, and follow PDPA: use them for screening only.

Three checks that matter

Identity: IC or passport, and the name matches the person in front of you.
Income: three months of payslips, bank statements, or EPF statements for the self employed.
Reference: the previous landlord's number, and you actually call it.

The third is the one most often skipped, and the one that tells you the most.

How much income is enough?

Rent under a third of net monthly income is the safe guide. On RM 1,500 rent, that means income around RM 4,500. Above that ratio a tenant can be entirely honest and still unable to pay, and the lateness starts in the month with an unusual expense.

Questions worth asking

Why are you leaving your current place?
How many people will live here, and who?
When do you want to move in, and how long do you plan to stay?
Any pets, or smoking indoors?

Vague answers to easy questions are a signal to look closer, not a reason to refuse outright.

PDPA: what can you keep?

You may ask for and keep screening documents, but use them for screening only, store them securely, and do not pass them to anyone else. Delete the copies of applicants you turned down. Do not refuse on race, religion or family status, because it is wrong and it also narrows your own options.

What UrusPro does for you

Tenant documents sit on their record, not in your WhatsApp.
The tenancy record keeps each tenant's payment history for future reference.
Start and end dates are entered once and the monthly bills follow.

One expensive mistake

Accepting the first person who agrees to your price because the place has been empty three weeks. An empty month costs one month's rent. A bad tenant can cost six, plus the repairs.