Posting requirements/qualifications on a rental website?

Question

We have a internal list of what we consider a 'good tenant'. I'm curious if it would be effective to list a rough outline of what is expected from a tenant, applicationwise on our website.

I'm getting tons of applications and interest via our website & facebook, so much so that pre-qualification of the mass of people is now becoming a top priority as I don't want to show someone one of our properties who has no realistic chance of getting it However, I want to avoid any discrimination/FHA laws in posting what we're looking for.

Hattie Dizmond · Answer

Bill...I'm an IT geek and am on a keyboard most of the time.  If you were typing as fast as me, I would be worried about you!

Bill Gulley · Answer

Edited: Hattie, you type faster, I'm not following you around, LOL

Good idea, to a point. How you say things matters. Don't post specific requirements, cut offs, ratios time on job, etc. What you can speak to are generalities like

Our income guidelines follow generally accepted rental requirements published by HUD, however we reserve the right to make adjustments in specific circumstances.....or something.......leave yourself room to both approve and deny.

I'd not go into detail. Another aspect, are the units apartments where tenants live side by side or homes where one tenant will not meet another, consider the grapevine and aspects of what's good for the goose is good for the gander, treating everyone fairly, equally, but that doesn't mean you don't have leeway.

A good term to use is "compensating factors" so, someone who has had the same job for 15 years, has disposable income may qualify at a higher ration than another with 2 years on the job, lack of credit and is stressed at ratios.

Might get better input if you print out what you expect to do, provide a link for review before you spill the beans publically. :)

Good night.....

Michele Fischer · Answer

In my mind all the screening should be independent of HUD.  Having a HUD voucher may be  a tie breaker with similar applicants but is not a shoe in by any means.

This is what we put on our application, for another example:

Our Criteria:

We do not deny housing for race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, sexual orientation, marital status, or familial status.

We do deny housing to individuals:

• when the application is not complete or accurate
• where there is not sufficient income/resources to pay rent and live
• where there is poor prior tenancy: evictions, violations, damage to rental property, poorly handled move outs, amounts are still owing to landlords or utilities.

Criminal activity is at our discretion depending on severity, number of convictions, and how long ago.

We do not go into much detail, especially since we don't charge for screening, but it gives them an idea and meets state requirements.

Brandon Schlichter · Answer

One other question was verbiage into the website statement concerning HUD tenants, and i also would like some advice on how you guys screen them. I'm not opposed to taking HUD (I have one tenant on HUD and it's been a good experience thus far). However I want to make sure that i have the option of denying a HUD renter (or any renter) based on whatever I deem needed (I just can't quite figure out how to word things so I can deny a individual with no job who has been approved for HUD, and take a potential tenant who has a low income job, and is then approved for a voucher).

Elizabeth Colegrove · Answer

Personally I don't, but that's because I like to use my "ad space" for housing description.

Brandon Schlichter · Answer

Thanks for the link Hattie, that gives me a very good framework to go from.

Hattie Dizmond · Answer

@Brandon Schlichter

You can post your qualifications with not issue, so long as those qualifications don't constitute discriminatory housing practices.

Check this link out to see a sample.  It isn't the best online pre-screening I've seen, but it will give you an idea of what people are doing...

http://northtexasrenthomes.com/tenant-selection-criteria/

Posting requirements/qualifications on a rental website?

Most Popular Reply