The screening process during tenant selection is one of the most important parts of property management. Thorough due diligence at the beginning saves you time, money, and headaches later.

As a rental property management company serving Salt Lake County—including Salt Lake City, Murray, Draper, West Valley City and surrounding areas—we’ve helped countless property owners find reliable tenants for their investments.

When you invest time in proper tenant screening:

• You’ll have fewer payment issues
• Property damage is less likely
• Your experience as a landlord improves significantly

Many property owners who come to us struggled because they didn’t adequately screen tenants upfront. Don’t make this common mistake.

Use Professional Screening Tools

Modern background screening tools provide property owners with comprehensive information quickly. With just a few clicks, you can access detailed reports about potential tenants.

Require Complete Applications

Make it clear to applicants that their application must be 100% complete. Every field needs an answer – incomplete applications delay the process and may hide important information you need to make decisions.

Review Background Check Results

Once you receive the background check results, examine:

• Credit scores and history
• Criminal background information
• Previous rental history
• Employment verification

Remember that imperfect credit doesn’t automatically disqualify an applicant. You can offset risk by adjusting security deposit requirements based on their financial profile.

Consider Professional Help

If tenant screening feels overwhelming, many property management companies (including Advanced Solutions Property Management) offer tenant placement as a standalone service. We can handle the screening process even if you manage the property yourself.

Contact Advanced Solutions Property Management if you have questions about effective tenant screening or property management.

Abandonment happens when tenants leave your property without notice, usually when they stop paying rent. There are two types of abandonment situations and we’ll go over how to handle each one according to Utah law.

Definition of Abandonment

According to Utah Code § 78B-6-815 abandonment is considered when:

• The tenant doesn’t pay rent within 15 days after due date AND
• There’s no reasonable evidence of occupancy, OR
• The tenant’s personal property has been removed and rent is unpaid

1-Day Abandonment

When tenants leave without paying rent and take all their belongings with them it’s considered a 1-day abandonment. This is an easy one to handle:

1. Visit the property after one day
2. Before entering announce yourself as the owner checking for occupancy
3. Use your key to enter (your lease should allow this)
4. If you get no response and the place is empty the tenant has abandoned the home

Even though rent is past due you can take possession of the property, clean it up and get it ready for new tenants.

15-Day Abandonment

This is a more complex situation when:

1. The tenant is late with rent
2. You post a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
3. After three days you visit the property to check occupancy since the tenant hasn’t paid or contacted you
4. After knocking and getting no response you enter with your key
5. You find the tenant’s belongings still there but signs they haven’t been living there recently (like rotten food)

In this case you must follow the 15-Day Abandonment process:

1. After 15 days post an Abandoned Premise form on the door
2. This gives the tenant 24 hours to get their belongings
3. If their belongings remain after 24 hours you can remove them

What to do with abandoned personal property in a Salt Lake City rental property

When tenants leave belongings behind after abandoning your rental property you must follow specific rules to stay compliant with Utah law. Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Document Everything

• Take dated photos of all abandoned items
• Create a detailed inventory list of everything left behind
• Record the condition of each item
• Have a witness present if possible

Step 2: Written Notice* Send the notice to the tenant’s last known address

• Post a copy on the property door
• Include in the notice:
  • Itemized list of property
  • Where the property is stored
  • That storage costs may apply
  • Deadline to retrieve property (30 days)
  • Your contact information

Step 2: Store the Property

• Move the property to a secure location
• Keep the property in reasonably safe condition
• Separate valuable items (electronics, documents, jewelry)
• Store for the full 30 day period

Step 3: Handle Retrieval Requests

• If the tenant contacts you to get their property:
  • Arrange a reasonable time for pickup
  • Verify their identity before releasing the property
  • Have them sign for the property
• You can charge reasonable storage and moving costs

Step 4: After 30 days

• If the property is still unclaimed after 30 days:
  • Items of obvious value: You can sell at a public sale
  • Items of minimal value: You can dispose of or donate
• For sales:
  • Apply proceeds first to costs of storage and sale
  • Apply any remaining funds to unpaid rent/damages
  • Hold any excess funds for the tenant for 90 days

Step 5: Documentation after Disposal

• Keep records of:
  • How you disposed of each item
  • Any money received from sales
  • Receipts for storage costs
  • Documentation of donation if applicable

Step 6: Special Considerations

• For personal documents: Store or return to tenant
• For medications: Dispose of at a pharmacy collection point
• For hazardous materials: Follow local disposal regulations

By following these steps you will be compliant with Utah Code § 78B-6-816 and manage abandoned property situations effectively.

Property owners have two main ways to advertise rentals: yard signs and online listings. While online advertising delivers better results, it also attracts scammers.

These scammers copy legitimate rental ads and change the contact information to their own. They then collect fake deposits from potential tenants, claiming they’ll mail the keys afterward. While experienced landlords recognize these scams, many prospective tenants fall victim to them.

Each scam costs you a potential tenant and their deposit. It redirects people who should be renting from you to criminals instead.

At Advanced Solutions Property Management, we prevent this by adding watermarks to all property photos. Our website URL appears across the middle of each image – visible enough to prevent theft but not so dark it obscures the property details. This stops scammers from reusing the photos in fake listings.

While scammers will always try new tactics, watermarking your photos is an effective first defense against rental fraud. It protects both your business and potential tenants from deposit theft.

With 65 years of combined property management experience, our team brings expert market analysis, proven tenant screening, and systematic property management to protect your investment. As property owners ourselves, we handle every decision from an investor’s perspective. Contact Advanced Solutions Property Management to secure your rental listings and maximize your ROI through our data-driven management approach.