{"id":99601,"date":"2018-06-03T14:30:28","date_gmt":"2018-06-03T20:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/renewsblog\/?p=99601"},"modified":"2021-05-20T08:57:09","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:57:09","slug":"interviewing-a-tenant-tricky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/interviewing-a-tenant-tricky","title":{"rendered":"Interviewing a New Tenant? It\u2019s Trickier Than You Think"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seattle recently overturned its \u201cfirst-in-time\u201d mandate<\/a>, which required landlords to accept the very first rental applicant who met their basic qualifications. The law, which was originally written to help avoid discrimination, received widespread attention as landlords lost several tenant-screening rights, including the ability to screen for criminal records. Just last month, the law was ruled a <\/span>violation of the state constitution in Washington<\/span><\/a> regarding a property-rights provision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anyone who manages or owns investment properties knows that navigating tenant rights can be a sensitive business. Screening applicants is no different. It’s one of the most important steps landlord can take to protect their properties. You probably have some clear qualifications in mind to evaluate prospective renters, but you must also ensure that you are in compliance with regulations and laws, both at national and state levels. The <\/span>Fair Housing Act<\/span><\/a> was created to make sure all applicants are treated equally, so it is important to familiarize yourself with some of its points.<\/span><\/p>\n

Related:<\/strong>\u00a0The 11 Most Common Questions Asked by Tenants\u2014Answered<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Sometimes it can be difficult to navigate this process. It can be helpful to have clear guidelines to keep in mind. Here\u2019s a short list of things to remember when it comes to tenant screening.<\/span>Here Are Some Things You Can Ask About: <\/span><\/p>\n