With so many homes going into foreclosure each month, it can be very scary for a renter these days. Usually, it’s the tenants who need to prove their credit worthiness to the landlord.

Yet it looks like the tables may be turning and hey, why shouldn’t they be? So many landlords can’t afford to pay their mortgages on their rental properties and who is paying the price? The tenants.

Here's the unfortunate situation. Some landlords who can’t afford to pay their own mortgages on their rental properties are renting out the place to poor, unsuspecting tenant. Of course, they have no problem making the potential tenant prove they have great credit as well as the funds to pay each month. These landlords know that they themselves wouldn’t be able to rent their own properties! But instead of paying the mortgage with the tenant’s money each month, they just pocket the money leaving the mortgage to go unpaid. Eventually the property goes into foreclosure, leaving the tenant homeless and confused.

So why shouldn’t landlords need to prove to tenants that they are current on their mortgages? It is my professional opinion, as an expert Realtor who’s job it is to protect my clients, that landlords should need to prove to the tenant that they have been paying their mortgage each and every month. And if they can’t, well then, they shouldn’t be allowed to rent their place out to anyone.

I realize that this might not be such a new situation. However, it is happening more and more frequently, especially given the financial stress so many are now facing each and every day. Tenants are not going to be thinking about the landlord’s financial situation. That's where we as realtors come in. It’s our job to protect our client’s best interests and by demanding that landlords show us their financial situations, we will be demonstrating our loyalty, professionalism, expertise and value as realtors to the tenant as well as to the general public.

I’d love to know your thoughts regarding this matter. Feel free to comment below.

Renee Porsia is an expert real estate Broker, author and real estate instructor with RE/MAX Action, To view more articles by Renee Porsia, please visit her popular blog at www.reneeporsia.wordpress.com. Editor's note: The views expressed here are the author's own.