For example, do you or would you review someone\u2019s income stream before renting to them? Of course! You do not want to rent to someone who cannot afford it. That is discrimination based upon income.<\/p>\n
What about criminal history? Would you rent to someone without checking if they have a serious criminal past? If you would, then you might be naive\u00a0and are likely to face many other problems down the road.<\/p>\n
So what other factors could you use\u00a0to discriminate against possible bad tenants? Here are five possibilities for you to consider.<\/p>\n
5 Characteristics\u00a0You Can Discriminate Against as a Landlord<\/h2>\n1. Smoking<\/h3>\n
You can ban smoking in your properties. Yes, you cut yourself off from a chunk of the rental market, but by discriminating against smokers you also reduce your clean up costs and risk of fire, and you may actually attract a better class of tenants.<\/p>\n
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2. Pet Ownership<\/h3>\n
You do not have to allow pets in your properties, or you could only rent to people who have pets. Pet owners are a significant part of the rental market, but many landlords feel the damage pets can cause is not worth it. On the other hand, some feel that pet owners make better tenants and cater their properties towards them.<\/p>\n
3. Job Type<\/h3>\n
Being discriminatory in your rental application process is all about reducing your risk and increasing the likelihood of collecting the rent. You may therefore want to eliminate certain jobs from contention.<\/p>\n
Lawyers are one example. Some landlords will not rent to lawyers because some lawyers have a tendency to sue. Other landlords may not rent to truck drivers or landscapers, as they do not want 18 wheelers or mud all over their properties.<\/p>\n
4. Constant Moving<\/h3>\n
Ever have an applicant who seems to move every year? If so, you do not have to rent to them. Tenant turnover is one of the major cash flow killers in the landlording business. So if possible, you want to find tenants who will stay for the longterm. You can discriminate against the ones who want to move every year.<\/p>\n
5. Sloppy Living<\/h3>\n
Ever have someone show up just plain filthy, with food dripped down the front of their shirt and a car full of trash? I have, and I did not rent to them\u2014and neither should you. If you do, all of that filth will move into your property. It is best to discriminate here.<\/p>\n
So remember, it is OK\u2014and even advisable\u2014to discriminate if you are or plan to be a landlord. In fact, you simply have to discriminate in order to protect your interests and property. The key however is to be consistent<\/strong> in your discriminatory practices. You cannot let one lawyer in and keep another one out, for example.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> The Top 8 Mistakes Made By Rookie Landlords<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n You should give careful consideration to how you will and how you will not discriminate in your landlording business. Write everything down, and keep it handy in case you are ever asked for your rental policies. Remember, you can discriminate, but the person you discriminate against may feel they were wronged and sue. Protect yourself by being consistent and having written policies in place.<\/p>\n We are republishing this article to help our newer members make good tenant selections. Please note: To make sure you’re on the right side of the law as a landlord, always refer to Fair Housing Laws<\/a> when making decisions about potential tenants.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"hoarder_house_tenant_abuse\"](\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/hoarder_house_tenant_abuse.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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