Screening tenant applications?

I'd say go check out where they live right now, if they'll let you in. Before COVID you could "stop by" and ask to come inside to ask some more questions. Otherwise personal references from previous landlords, though like any references these can be faked.

Allows you to see how they maintain they place they have, or if there are some warning signs you can't pick up from paper screening.

a3dview wrote: ↑ Asking applicants who are interested in renting a residential property to fill up screening/application form with details of job, income, current landlord contact, ref, types of pets, no. of persons who will live and ages etc etc to filter/screen suitable tenant(s), Is that good approach or if there any better way?

Everyone does it differently and depending on their past experience, may be more strict or less strict. The info you are requesting is very typical, if they all check out fine, 95-99% chance that this is a good tenant. This "stat" is from my downtown Toronto experience, each area may have a different "stat".

a3dview wrote: ↑ Asking applicants who are interested in renting a residential property to fill up screening/application form with details of job, income, current landlord contact, ref, types of pets, no. of persons who will live and ages etc etc to filter/screen suitable tenant(s), Is that good approach or if there any better way?

Why do you want to know ages? It's none of your business unless they are either 16 or 17 and you want to confirm they do not live with guardians/parents.

licenced wrote: ↑ Why do you want to know ages? It's none of your business unless they are either 16 or 17 and you want to confirm they do not live with guardians/parents.

Probably finding if occupants are babies, kids, teenagers, adults help to pick suitable tenants. A small room may be good for 3 babies/kids but not for 3 adutls.

a3dview wrote: ↑ Probably finding if occupants are babies, kids, teenagers, adults help to pick suitable tenants. A small room may be good for 3 babies/kids but not for 3 adutls.

Building standards decides the number of occupants in a room.

Probably? The appropriateness of a room based on age is not for you to decide - it leans toward trying to control the personal and private sleeping arrangements of tenants.

When you ask age related questions you are skirting with a Human Rights complaint and they are not a forgiving tribunal.