by 
Every applicant is a great tenant at the first meeting. They arrive on time, compliment the apartment and promise to treat it like their own. Some of them will. The challenge for an owner is working out which ones, before the lease is signed rather than six months after.
Screening a tenant isn’t about suspicion. It’s about replacing a first impression with evidence. In Reuven Jacob’s experience, that evidence comes from a handful of checks most owners skip.
Why the previous landlord matters most
A first impression tells you how someone presents. A previous landlord can tell you how they actually lived: whether rent arrived on time, how the apartment was left and how problems were handled.
Speak with at least three references, and remember that applicants naturally choose the people most likely to recommend them. That makes your questions more important than the names. Instead of asking whether the tenant was good, ask specific ones: Was rent ever late? Did they give proper notice before leaving? Would you rent to them again?
Keep reference calls focused on the tenancy: payment history, communication, care of the apartment and how the tenancy ended. Record the answers consistently so they can be considered alongside the rest of the application.
Can the tenant afford the rent?
Establish whether the applicant can reasonably afford the rent. Ask for relevant evidence of income or available funds, explain why you need it, and keep it confidential. Payslips, an employment letter or appropriate alternatives can help, particularly for new olim whose income arrangements may still be changing. Consider the full financial picture rather than treating one income ratio as a legal rule.
This gets harder with new olim (immigrants), who often don’t yet know anyone locally. Some will reasonably point out that they wouldn’t guarantee a stranger’s lease, so they can’t ask someone to guarantee theirs. At that point, the owner has a decision to make about how much risk they’re comfortable carrying.
When rental-guarantee insurance makes sense
There is a middle path. Some Israeli companies act as the guarantor for tenants who don’t have one, and some insurers offer rental insurance that replaces the need for a personal guarantor, in exchange for a premium paid by the tenant (Easy Aliyah). A bank guarantee is another option. One legal point matters here: a guarantee that costs the tenant money, including one from a bank or an insurance company, counts toward the Fair Rental Law’s cap on security (Kol Zchut, in Hebrew).
For an owner who wants peace of mind, particularly with a tenant who has no local guarantor, these options can be a sensible trade. Ask for the provider’s terms in writing so you know exactly what is covered.
Is the apartment the right fit?
Beyond finances, check whether the tenant and the property are a practical match, using objective criteria that apply to every applicant equally:
- Permitted occupancy for the apartment
- Pets, and whether the building allows them
- Noise considerations, especially in older or closely built buildings
- The building’s established rules
Mismatches here rarely look serious at signing. They tend to surface with the neighbors a few months later.
Deposits and payment structure
Reuven generally sets a cash security deposit at one to two months’ rent, depending on the property and lease. For residential leases covered by the statutory cap, the combined value of security that costs the tenant money — such as cash deposits and bank guarantees — cannot exceed the lower of three months’ rent or one-third of the rent for the full term. The cap does not apply in the same way to every kind of security or every tenancy. Kol Zchut’s security guide sets out the conditions. The law requires the balance, including any returns it earned, to be returned within 60 days of the apartment being handed back, or when the tenant’s relevant debts have been paid, whichever is later.
For monthly rent, direct debit (hora’at keva) can simplify collection. If postdated checks are also held as a backup, put the arrangement in writing so the same rent is never collected twice. Agree when checks will be returned or cancelled and how a missed payment will be handled. The Bank of Israel explains how bounced checks can lead to account restrictions, subject to the law’s conditions and exceptions.
Get the lease right
Finally, have an Israeli lawyer review the lease. Make sure everyone understands renewal options, future rent, responsibilities and the owner’s protections. Where the covered lease grants a tenant an option to extend, the law provides for notice no later than 60 days before the term ends; where the option belongs to the landlord, the corresponding period is 90 days and the extension terms must have been agreed in advance. Have the lawyer check which arrangement applies to your lease. Most disputes start with a clause that one side never read closely.
Sources and further reading
- Guide to Restricted Accounts, Bank of Israel
- Limits on the security a landlord may demand (Hebrew), Kol Zchut
- Renting an Apartment in Israel, Nefesh B’Nefesh
- Renting an Apartment Without Guarantors in Israel, Easy Aliyah
- Fair Rental Law and Leasing a Property in Israel, Ohad Shpak Law Office
- Related on this blog: What Should a Good Property Manager Actually Do?
Let Reuven’s team handle the screening
Reuven Jacob’s team manages the full tenancy process for owners in Beit Shemesh, from checking references and confirming affordability to arranging payments and the lease. If you’d rather hand over the keys with confidence, contact Reuven Jacob or call 052-561-0702.
Join The Discussion