Potential Tenant has own Criminal check

Investor · NW Indiana · Member since 2012 · 833 posts · 197 votes

I have been contacted by a teacher that is interested in the property. She states that her job does a yearly criminal check and wants me to use it. Hers was done in August of this year. I want to keep my application process the same for everyone, but I have been contacted a couple times with this scenario.

What are your thoughts?

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Colleen F.Pro Member

Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

10y

I would just say no. I know they do these checks for certain professions but you really just need to make a policy and stick to it. Who knows when someone will falsify a record.

You can just use fair housing and say that we need to treat everyone the same and based on our application process we need to have our own criminal record check. (of course only if that is in fact true). It is not a lack of trust in them but rather that you have set a standard that you will stick to.

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Colleen F.Pro Member
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
I would just say no. I know they do these checks for certain professions but you really just need to make a policy and stick to it. Who knows when someone will falsify a record.
You can just use fair housing and say that we need to treat everyone the same and based on our application process we need to have our own criminal record check. (of course only if that is in fact true). It is not a lack of trust in them but rather that you have set a standard that you will stick to.
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Lucas Hall
Rental Property Investor · Arvada, CO · Member since 2011 · 146 posts · 103 votes
10y
I would also say "no". The public school system wouldn't accept your background check if the situation was reversed, and nor should you.
A middle school student can falsify a background check with photoshop in less than 5 minutes. It's too risky.
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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
10y
Nope. Independently run or it doesn't exist. I wouldn't trust anything anyone brought me in their hand pertaining to credit or background. What is her reasoning? To save the fee? Sorry, that's a cost of doing business. Otherwise, if she doesn't care to pay again, what is the harm in running one fresh?
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Ingrid J.
Investor · Tromsø, Norway (Europe) · Member since 2015 · 431 posts · 194 votes
10y
@Carolina E. Most of the landlords here on BP recommend the same screening for all tenants. If you get lenient you might end up in trouble. I would screen her the same way you screen your other tenants. It's a red flag when a tenant doesnt want to be screened because they can 'supply' the intel themselves.
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Account Closed
Investor / Real Estate Agent · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 81 posts · 55 votes
10y
I agree with everyone above. Run your own tenant screening. Its not expensive and worth the piece of mind.
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Damon Duperre
Investor · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2015 · 109 posts · 41 votes
10y
Ditto.
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Carolina E.
OP
Investor · NW Indiana · Member since 2012 · 833 posts · 197 votes
10y
Thank you everyone for your quick responses. I was leaning towards sticking to my own report, but just wanted your thoughts.
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David Chwaszczewski
Tega Cay, SC · Member since 2014 · 213 posts · 74 votes
10y
You are also starting down the path of the tenant thinking they can work your system and not play by the rules you set as a landlord/business owner (not saying this client is, but most will). Tenant training is the most important part of your business. If your tenant sees you stick to the rules and do what you are going to say you are going to do then you are less likely to have any issues during their tenancy.
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Bill Gulley
Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
10y
All great posts IMO. The answer is no!
Verification document you can obtain from a tenant applicant, if you use them:
Bank statements
Tax Returns
Loan statements
Financial statements they prepare
W-2 statement
All of the above can be verified after they sign an authorization to verify information, with the exception of their financial statements (self employed folks) as this would be a representation made to contract (ie, they take bankruptcy 4 months latter and fluffed their balance sheet you can terminate the lease if you cover representations made correctly)
Any other verification document must be done under what is called "dual control" procedures, from the verifying source directly to you. An employment verification for example, they sign the request, you mail (fax) to the employer and they send it back. These types of verifications should never be accepted from an applicant.
Background checks are from the source provider, never accepted from a third party. Same with any credit report.
I'd simply say "We must follow applicable law/regulations concerning our verification process being under dual control, sorry, but I cannot accept documents from third parties".
And totally agree, train the tenant early on, it begins at the time of application. Clearly have a meeting of the minds about your requirements! :)
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Carolina E.
OP
Investor · NW Indiana · Member since 2012 · 833 posts · 197 votes
10y
@David Chwaszczewski & @Bill Gulley
Thank you both. Very good advice. They did end up seeing the property, they ended up just wanted to know what site I would be using to pull their information. I gave them the mysmartmove link and they were happy with it.
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