Your tenants can make or break your rental property experience. Great tenants pay their rent on time, take good care of your property, and help make your multi-unit properties a place where people want to live. As a result, you can enjoy higher rent potential, reliable income, and minimal cost depreciation, which makes being a landlord worthwhile.

But how do you find these high-quality tenants? It all starts with an understanding of your market, proper preparation, and an effective tenant placement process.

Keep reading to discover what you need to know to find and keep great tenants for your Los Angeles rental property.

Understand LA Rental Laws First

While it won’t directly affect the quality of your tenants, understanding and complying with Los Angeles Landlord-Tenant laws is essential for any successful tenancy.

California has some of the most comprehensive tenancy laws in the country, with Los Angeles County adding even more regulations you need to adhere to. They’re also tenant-friendly, which means violating them puts you at risk for serious penalties and bad faith tenancies that cost you money.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know:

Fair Housing Laws: According to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), you can’t discriminate against applicants based on protected classes, including race, religion, gender, or income source. You need to maintain consistent screening criteria and avoid discriminatory questions to stay compliant.
Habitability Standards: California law mandates that you maintain safe living conditions, including functional plumbing, heating, and pest-free environments.
Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO): Properties built before October 1, 1978, may fall under rent control, which limits rent increases to 4% annually, and RSO-protected evictions must follow strict rules. To find out if your property falls under RSO, use the LA Housing Department’s RSO Property Lookup Tool.
Notice Requirements: For rent increases over 10%, provide at least 90 days’ notice. For increases below 10%, a 30-day notice is enough.
Security Deposit Limits: California allows up to 2x monthly rent for unfurnished units and 3x for furnished ones, which you need to return within 21 days of lease termination alongside an itemized deduction list if deducting costs.
Entry Rules: Landlords must give tenants at least 24 hours’ written notice before entering for inspections or repairs, except in emergencies.

For more information, visit the Los Angeles Housing Department.

Prepare Your Property to Attract Quality Tenants

If you want high-quality tenants, you need to present a property that people want to call home–not something that’s a last resort or “good enough” to live in.

In addition to adhering to required habitability standards, your property should be modern, clean, and easy for applicants to visualize themselves living in.

Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to make your property more appealing.

Here are a few repairs and upgrades to consider:

Upgrade Key Features: Modernize kitchens and bathrooms, which are often deal-breakers for tenants. Swap out outdated fixtures, repaint walls in neutral tones, and consider energy-efficient upgrades like LED lighting, low-flow showerheads, or smart thermostats that save tenants money on utility bills.
Deep Clean and Declutter: A spotless property signals professionalism and care. Clean carpets, polish floors, and ensure appliances are free of grime. If prior tenants left behind clutter, remove it to present a fresh start.
Enhance Curb Appeal: Your property’s exterior makes the ever-important first impression, so trim the landscaping, repaint the front door, and make sure outdoor lighting works to create a welcoming vibe.
Provide Amenities That Tenants Value: Add conveniences like in-unit laundry, assigned parking, or additional storage to help you stand out and make your property more move-in-ready for tenants.
Stage the Property: Help potential tenants visualize themselves living there by staging the unit. Add furniture to create a warm, inviting atmosphere, or hire a professional stager for vacant spaces that make it feel like a home.

If you make your property a gem, the applications you receive are more likely to match it.

Write a Listing That Filters Out Low-Quality Tenants

When it comes to collecting rental applications, more isn’t always better. You want to attract high-quality applicants–those who meet your expectations and requirements. To do so, you’ll need to build a listing that makes your expectations clear, tells (and shows) potential applicants what they’re getting, and provides clear next steps to take to submit an application.

Start with a clear, attention-grabbing, and specific title where possible. This includes the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, rent, pet policy, standout features, location, and anything else noteworthy. For example, “$2700 | 3BR, 2BA Pet-Friendly Apartment with A View in Sylmar” clearly describes the property and highlights important details to catch renters’ attention. Your listing must also include high-quality images, videos, 3D tours, and any other assets that help clearly show off your property. Then, pitch the property with a description that highlights key features, amenities, property and pet policies, and tenant responsibilities so they know what they’re getting.

You should also include specific financial information like pet deposits or fees, preferred income ratios, and desired credit scores to filter out unqualified applications. After making expectations clear, tell potential renters about the application process, including any background checks, application fees, or additional information you want to collect, like reasons or dates for moving. Then, direct them to your application or provide your contact information to move forward.

Have Hard-Set Tenant Criteria and Screen Tenants Thoroughly

Once the applications start coming in, you have to start processing them so you can find the right tenant.

However, it’s essential that you establish your criteria and screening process ahead of time (and don’t deviate from it) to avoid discrimination claims.

In addition to confirming their credit score, income, and other criteria you mentioned in your listing, you can look for other details (that don’t correspond to a protected class) to help weed out the low-quality applications.

Here are a few steps we recommend:

Run Background and Credit Checks: A credit report helps you understand their ability to pay based on outstanding debts, late payments, or bankruptcies, which you can pair with a background check to make sure your property is in good hands.
Verify Income and Employment: Request pay stubs, tax returns, offer letters, or bank statements to confirm an applicant can keep up with their rent payment. If they’re moving locally, look for a stable employment history with the same company for more reliability.
Review Address History: Confirm the applicant’s address history over the past 3-5 years to spot inconsistencies or frequent moves. If you find something, ask them about it so you can get a better idea of whether you can expect a long-term tenancy.
Check Past Rental History: A tenant’s rental history tells you a lot about what you can expect as their landlord. Look for consistent payment records, no history of evictions, and positive references from previous landlords to help you gauge their reliability.
Speak to Past Landlords: Contact previous landlords to verify details about the applicant. It’s generally best to ask the prior landlord to their current one to avoid biased answers, if possible. Ask about rent payment punctuality, property care, adherence to lease terms, and any issues during their tenancy.

Luckily, none of these steps uncover criteria that fall under protected classes, so you can use them to help you choose the best applicant.

Put Together a Lease Agreement That Protects You and the Tenant

A comprehensive, compliant, and clear lease agreement helps position your tenancies for success.

A well-crafted lease sets clear expectations to help avoid misunderstandings while protecting both you and your tenant legally and financially throughout the tenancy, so you need to be sure your lease is airtight.

Generally, it’s best to work with a legal expert to ensure your lease fits the bill. However, if you decide to create your own,make sure you include this information:

Rent Payment Details: List the monthly rent, when it’s due, and how you want it paid (bank transfer, online portal, etc.). Don’t forget to include late payment rules—like a small fee if it’s overdue—to encourage on-time payments.
Security Deposit Info: Be upfront about the deposit amount (2x the rent for unfurnished units, 3x for furnished in California). Let your tenant know how it’ll be handled, like deductions for damages, and confirm they’ll get it back within 21 days after moving out if everything checks out.
Lease Length and Renewals: Whether it’s a month-to-month or a year-long lease, make sure it’s clear. For longer leases, include how much notice is needed if either of you decides not to renew.
Who Handles Repairs: Break down who’s responsible for what, including things like lawn care, pest control, and utilities. You should also specify which indoor issues you expect tenants to handle without calling out a maintenance provider, like replacing light bulbs or resolving minor sink and toilet clogs, as well as the major systems you’re responsible for, like electrical issues or HVAC.
House Rules: Lay out the basics to avoid future headaches and misunderstandings. Include policies on noise, smoking, pets (if allowed, specify any breed or size restrictions), and how long guests can stay.
When You Can Enter the Property: You’ll need to give at least 24 hours’ notice before entering for things like repairs or inspections (unless it’s an emergency), so make sure you include it in the lease to avoid confusion or surprises.
Eviction Policies: Make sure your tenant knows the deal when it comes to eviction. Stick to LA’s Just Cause Eviction rules, like non-payment of rent, serious lease violations, or property damage.
Rent Control Info: If your property falls under LA’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance, include details about rent limits and tenant protections to stay compliant.
Subletting Rules: Be clear about whether subletting or short-term rentals like Airbnb are allowed. If it’s okay, explain how they need to get your approval first.
Add Required Disclosures: In California, you need to provide things like a Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (for older properties), a Bed Bug Addendum, a Mold Disclosure, and other required disclosures in your leases for compliance.

By laying out everything in plain terms, you’ll avoid surprises, keep things professional, and build a good landlord-tenant relationship from day one.

Or Make Your Life Easier and Hire a Property Management Company

As you can see, there are a LOT of factors to consider and steps to take if you want to safely, legally, and successfully lease your rental property to a great tenant. And with a single mistake potentially costing you months of rent or a major headache throughout the tenancy, the peace of mind and cost savings a Los Angeles property management company offers can’t be understated.

At RentalHouse Property Management, we pride ourselves on adding value to your investment. We’re not just listing creators, lease providers, and maintenance coordinators like other managers. We take the time to get to know your situation and property, find cost-effective ways to increase rent and shorten its time on the market, and attract the best possible tenants for a low-stress investment experience.

We dive into each applicant, conducting in-depth background checks, checking with past landlords, and running all the numbers to make sure your property is in good hands. We’ll also put together an ironclad and compliant lease that keeps up with LA Landlord-Tenant laws, so you don’t have to.

Don’t risk your property falling into the wrong hands–reach out today to learn more about our tenant placement process and how we help you generate reliable, stress-free passive income.

How Los Angeles Landlords Can Find Quality Tenants and Retain Them