Milwaukee Wisconsin application fee clarification...

[Cody Barrett]

Hello BP

In Wisconsin the law explains that if a landlord charges an applicant a fee to check their credit then it cannot be more than 20 dollars.  I will be putting out applications for the first time next week... 

So that means I can't charge more than 20 dollars for an application in general? Which would be unfortunate because the companies I'd want to run everything charges 30 bucks or so... Obviously I'll pay the difference but I am just double checking with other landlords in Racine Kenosha Milwaukee Wisconsin 

Thanks so much! 

[James R.]

Cody, you are correct about the $20.00 app. fee.  To answer your question, yes.  You cannot charge more than $20.00.  That is the law!  Don't take app. fees and just keep them either.  Some landlords do that to "generate" income and I find it deplorable, not to mention dishonest.  When bad things happen to these landlords, the word karma comes to mind.

You need to run in each app. through your process in the order that the applications came in.  If the first applicant does not qualify and you have done the background check and credit check, then you keep the $20.00, but I always give the applicant their credit report.  They paid for it, so it's theirs.  But that's just me.  

You continue with the next applicant until you find one that meets ALL of your criteria.  Make sure that you are fair and consistent and follow your process with each and every applicant. 

When the emails come in from people interested in the property, go right to Wisconsin Circuit Courts and look the person up.  If you see anything there that you don't like, simply delete the email and continue.  This is a great way to speed up your process of elimination and it's FREE!  

Send me an email with your phone number and I will be happy to give you a call to help in any way that I can.  I was new to this at one time too!