Rental Property Investor · Olympia, WA · Member since 2014 · 777 posts · 744 votes
10y
I assume you are referring to a warranty of habitability which would be no different to s8 than any other tenant. It requires the landlord to maintain a "habitable" residence.
As to screening, I screen all my tenants the same, with the understanding that a portion of their rent is paid by S8 so the income requirement is adjusted accordingly. I don't accept those with unresolved evictions, etc. Check previous landlords for how they cared for their home and how they followed their lease. Just because they have a season (or life) of financial struggle doesn't mean they can't handle other life affairs responsibly.
Rental Property Investor · Olympia, WA · Member since 2014 · 777 posts · 744 votes
10y
I assume you are referring to a warranty of habitability which would be no different to s8 than any other tenant. It requires the landlord to maintain a "habitable" residence.
As to screening, I screen all my tenants the same, with the understanding that a portion of their rent is paid by S8 so the income requirement is adjusted accordingly. I don't accept those with unresolved evictions, etc. Check previous landlords for how they cared for their home and how they followed their lease. Just because they have a season (or life) of financial struggle doesn't mean they can't handle other life affairs responsibly.
Portsmouth, VA · Member since 2015 · 330 posts · 191 votes
10y
We have a working relationship with our Section * representative. We call her and ask questions when a potential tenant wants to rent from us. It works really good this way because I get a lot of information about the tenant. Try that and we started by inviting her to lunch to get there rental package for landlords and advice on screening tenants.
Rental Property Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Agree with Dawn. I'd get verification of the income they do have; they still need money to live and eat, and may have to pay for part of the rent and utilities. I'd especially focus on criminal record and prior landlords. I'd run a credit check, to verify past addresses and to see what debt they have. If they owe for a utility or something that appears to be a prior landlord, beware!