It has never been easier to check background, credit, rental history. Something like $30 per applicant and you can require they pay the fee.

It’s not perfect but being blacklisted as an evicted deadbeat (or being someone who won’t provide verifiable rental history / references) is a pretty big disincentive to go nuclear on your rental. Sure some people are just leeches like the subject of this story but I wouldn’t imagine that’s anything but an edge case.