Tenant asks to move in a non-family member

[Ben H.]

New tenant asks if a non-family member can move in (friend of fiancée). Says he's willing to pay the application fee and have a background check.

1) I'm grateful she asked.

2) What are your thoughts? If mom or daughter wanted to move in, okay, that's a family member. But this a non-family member (which is different, at least in my perspective). Do I change the lease and up the rent? Charge them an additional fee ("non family member resident fee")? Run the background check and let it be?

Regards,

Ben

[Ryan Murdock]

@Ben H.

The relationship should have no bearing on your decision here as it simply makes no difference. As previously stated, if you are paying utilities based on one person and another is added you are likely justified implementing a slight rent increase.

I frequently have tenants who bring in additional roommates and I usually allow it - either by adding them to the lease as "additional occupants" or as full fledged tenants. My comfort level with each one varies so I typically go on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes I will run a full credit/criminal/history screening and sometimes I won't knowing that I already have a very qualified tenant on the hook should things go bad. At the very least I need to have all of new person's info on file, usually by way of a completed rental application.