Everyone who has lived in a rental property knows how awkward some landlords might be when interrogating potential tenants. The main idea is clear - they want to know if you are trustworthy enough to regularly pay the rent and not to destroy the place. Unfortunately, landlords often ask some really mean questions, and answering them correctly is the key to getting the chance to live in a particular residence. Read below to learn more.
 
This is a selection of some really rude questions posed by landlords to innocent (or not so innocent) potential tenants. Remember, nobody can force you to answer such questions at all, or at least to answer honestly. You can always give the following answers:

Have you been convicted in a crime?
Answer: No! Even if you were, you don't have to admit it. You are not applying for a job in a governmental institution, and the landlord has no right to ask you that. If he/she is going to do a background check, this has to be clear on the tenancy application.

Do you plan on having (more) children?
The better answer is no, notwithstanding your actual plans. And your family planning also is none of the landlord's business. Plus, landlords don't ask that question if they are okay with tenants with small children - they ask it if they don't prefer such tenants. So a positive answer will considerably decrease your chances for getting the residence.

Do you like animals?
If you don't - say it and calm the landlord's worries. But if you do, and even plan on having a pet, you should choose an avoiding answer, like "Well, sure, but unfortunately I'm really busy and don't have the time to take care of my own pet."

Do you have visitors often?
Give a rather reserved answer to this, to reduce the landlord's paranoia about loud, wild parties every night. For instance: "Oh, of course I like seeing people, but I rather prefer staying home and relaxing on my own."

Do you like music?
What the landlord actually wants to know is which style you prefer, which is somehow understandable because everyone knows that heavy-metal, hard rock and techno music fans tend to make the entire neighbourhood listen with them. But, as I already mentioned, this question is rude and should be not asked in the first place. So even if you listen to classics, you should answer "Well, I usually turn the radio on during breakfast, but I'm not the biggest of fans."

Are you religious?
That is a one thousand per cent improper question! Don't answer at all, or reply with something like "I respect religions in general, but personally I'm not very religious". Every following specific question is nothing but discrimination! You are not obliged to mention your religion.

Do you smoke?
Contrary to the overall accepted opinion, nobody can forbid you to smoke at home, even if it's a rental. However, if you indeed do smoke, you have to decide whether to say yes and risk losing the place now, or deny, and risk losing it later if good relations with the landlord are strained when he or she finds out.

One last bit of advice: no matter how much you like the house or flat, if the landlord is too rude and unpleasant, you should give up on that place and go find something better, or at least some place with a nicer landlord.