Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
In Malaysia, some landlords and agents discriminate against race when choosing tenants. However, this Malaysian homeowner disagrees and here are his reasons why:
When I was younger, I remember getting my first job as a teacher in KL and needing to find a place to rent in KL.
I thought to myself, “It shouldn’t be too hard to find a room right?”
Well, it was a lot harder than I thought, because I was constantly asked what my race was. After finding out I was Indian, suddenly the agents would give all sorts of ‘reasons’ why the rooms weren’t available anymore.
Other property agents would outright tell me, “Sorry, the owner says he doesn’t want any Indian tenants.”
It was very dehumanizing to be rejected purely because of my DNA, something I cannot change. Eventually, I did find a room to rent, but I learnt a harsh lesson in the process.
Are Indians naturally worse tenants than other races?
Now that I have my own home which I rent out, I’ve noticed that many fellow property owners and agents in the Klang Valley won’t rent to Indians.
I’ve heard them say, “Oh I’ve had a bad experience with Indians,” and then they list down the negative stereotypes that all Indians drink heavily and are bad with their money.
Personally speaking, I also have rented to Indians from India, and I know their reputation amongst property agents.
I had one tenant from India who was very nice and paid on time, but not very clean. He didn’t clean the kitchen enough and it would be quite dirty.
So, did I never rent to Indian nationals again? No, I just improved my processes. Now I have 5 pages of terms and conditions with detailed instructions on how to keep the house clean as per my expectations, especially the kitchen.
After the first Indian national, I had a second one for some time and he was a gem. Very good paymaster, and he kept the place immaculate. So as you can see, there are good and bad people from every race and every country.
I understand the pain of being a landlord
To those thinking, “You don’t understand the pain of being a property owner, I’ve had some bad experiences with (insert race),” trust me, I do.
I know the pain of when tenants say they are interested, I get everything ready but then they disappear.
I know the pain of someone who puts a deposit, signs the contract, but then changes their mind and demands for the deposit back, even though I have clearly stated no refunds.
I even know the pain of a tenant who kept his room so humid, all the walls had a layer of mold on it that was so disgusting, I had to fork out a huge sum of money to get rid of it.
So, I understand that no one in their right mind would rent out their property to someone they know nothing about.
But what if I told you there’s a better way to get good tenants without asking their race?
Let me share with you what I currently do:
1. For every potential tenant, I do a phone interview.
Typically, the interview will last 15-20 mins. I ask some questions like:
“What is important to you in a house?”
“How do you usually keep your homes?”
“Can you describe to me any issues you’ve had with previous properties?”
“How would your previous house owners describe you?”
Now people might think, “Of course they will say all the right things. Doesn’t mean it’s true.” Well I’m not just looking at what they say, I’m looking at how they say it. I can pick up subtle cues.
2. I invite them for a viewing and watch their body language.
When they come to view the unit, I show them around and pay close attention to their mannerisms, body language, tone of voice, everything.
This helps me get an idea of what kind of tenant they will be.
3. I ask them for a CCRIS/CTOS report.
A CCRIS /CTOS report is a report conducted by an independent company that shows you a person’s financial standing and how good they are with their money. It’s very easy to get nowadays and only costs about RM20.
I know it’s common practice to ask for the applicant’s income, but to be honest, that’s not a very good indication of whether or not they’re financially responsible.
Let me give you an example: I have a friend who earns RM15,000 but he is struggling to make his monthly payments. While he earns well, he has bad financial management and buys cars and properties way above his pay grade.
So even if you ask for their salary slip, how do you know they will still be a good paymaster?
Every business venture requires your continuous time and effort.
To those who are thinking, “Wah, this sounds like a lot of time and effort, how to do? Also, I don’t know all the things you are talking about.”
What I will say to that is, if you don’t have time to do all this, why are you in the property rental business?
It is our responsibility as property owners to do our due diligence, to improve and be better, not regress to archaic practices because it is more convenient.
If you’re not prepared to do your homework, then you have to honestly ask yourself, “Am I ready for the property game?”
What do you think of this story?
Let us know in the comments!
Submit your story to hello@inreallife.my and you may be featured on In Real Life Malaysia.
Read also: How I Almost Lost My Rental Deposit To A Fake Landlord in Kota Kinabalu
I Nearly Lost RM4,500 To A Scammer While Hunting for Apartments In Kota Kinabalu
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