Potential Tenant has an eviction started but was dismissed

Potential Tenant has an eviction started but was dismissed

Lake Geneva, WI · Member since 2022 · 76 posts · 27 votes

Hello fellow Landlords, 

I am in the process of screening a potential tenant and it appears they may have had some trouble early 2022 where they might have missed rent payments and it looks like eviction process was started.  Looking at criminal record looks like it was the following 

Action Type: CIVIL DISMISSAL

Filling Type: CIVIL DISMISSAL

I would assume they got current and the proceedings were dismissed.  I understand we all go through hardships at times..I still have yet to ask tenant her side of story and what happened which I am planning on doing.  Have you experienced something similar, what would you do? Too risky? or have compassion? Thank you in advance :)

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Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
3y

I'd move on to the next applicant.

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  • Lake Geneva, WI · Member since 2022 · 76 posts · 27 votes
    3y

    @everyone thank you all for the input.  I did get another applicant.  One last piece of advise...is having an eviction on your report hold greater significance than a lower credit score with no eviction history? I do realize there is much more than that to any scenario and the whole picture is important.  I did have another applicant one which has no eviction but her credit score is pretty low at the moment, in addition to that the unit upstairs (its a duplex) the tenant vouched for them and wouldn't mind them as their neighbor.  Thank you again everyone for taking precious time out of your day to provide input and advice

  • Member since 2019 · 223 posts · 261 votes
    3y

    A eviction is way worse than bad credit. Many people can make bad decisions or fall on hard times to tank their credit score, but it takes a special kind of person to go through the whole process of getting evicted. If you're like me, I bet many of your friends and family have questionable credit scores. How many people do you know that's had a sheriff show up at their door to toss them out? It's not a risk that's worth taking in my opinion. 

  • John MorganPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    3y

    @Martin Guerrero

    I’ve got 7 tenants that have evictions on their record and they are all great. Don’t rule them out. I did file for eviction on one tenant but canceled the hearing. After I booted her out for other reasons, she applied for another rental and the the landlord called me asking about the eviction filing. I told him she was a nightmare tenant and listed all the things that went wrong. He appreciated my honesty and told me he would definitely decline her. I’d call the previous landlord to see what this tenant is like.

  • Investor · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2016 · 121 posts · 31 votes
    3y

    @Kevin Sobilo Completely agree

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