Bad tenants - we need a database :-(

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Bad tenants - we need a database :-(

Daria B.
Rental Property Investor · Gainesville, FL · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 432 votes

I know this is probably border line - privacy issue - if not fully frowned upon. :-|

The title of my post - these tenants had no respect for the property - why doesn't there exist (again, venting) something that landlords can document what the tenant did to the property and share it? It would not be anything other than what we do now with our properties but we would be able to share that with other landlords. This would help others see just how bad/good tenants are.

Even doing the back ground check, debt 2 income, credit check all the other verifications - just doesn't always seem full proof. I've read of the professional tenant and how they manipulate the system.

Mostly venting here and telling others whether you self-manage or have a PM - get all and do all documentation pre and post tenant move.

Going through a disputed move out - pictures were taken (pre-move in and post move out) and the written documentation clearly has everything checked off as fair or good condition. 

I was mortified at the condition.

The PM did all the right things and the tenant is disputing all the SD as though there was no damage.

They broke things and didn't say a word - they glued a kitchen draw back on - glue dripping down the face of the draw and it was on crooked. :-/

They changed the front door lock, I assume they broke it since there were so many other things that were broken.

They never changed the air filter - clumps of dirt and dust on all the vents and the return register.

 Holes in the wallls and dirt all over the walls from kids hands and who knows what.

They almost burned down the house from the cooking being done with grease. Had to replace one stove and pretty much the replacement was also ruined. The cabinets took a few days to get the grease and grim off. Scratches weren't superficial but to the point of having to paint several cabinets. :-/ Crayon? Really?

Manipulative is what comes to mind knowing the condition and still they feel they are not culpable.

Ok - venting done and I'll be riding this to some sort of conclusion.

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Tyler De Young
Developer · Bozeman, MT · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 19 votes
9y

@Daria B. its almost funny once you get over the inconvenience and loss of time/money; but I adopt the, "if you don't laugh, you'll cry" principle.  

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  • Thomas S.
    Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    9y

    If a landlord does not do regular inspections they are basically telling the tenant they can treat the property how ever they wish.

    Do regular inspections, have repair work completed by contractors and bill the tenant. At move out damage should be minimal from the time of the last inspection.

    Never wait till move out to determine how much damage a tenant does, it's too late by then to collect.

    2Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Vitaliy Merkulov:

    I see this a lot of people are talking about a bad tenant database and someone mentioned RenterInc, which I'm associated with. So I want to clarify some concerns that some of you have raised even before considering a database like this as a option for screening your tenants or requesting landlord references online.

    1. Liability - We spent over a year researching and spending thousands of dollars on attorneys that specialize in FCRA laws, discrimination, tenant rights, privacy and came out with a solution that is completely legal and protects both the landlord from libel charges and tenant from discrimination, false accusations. This sets us apart from all the other bad tenant databases that never gained traction @Joe Splitrock @Brooklyn A. @Account Closed
    2. Quality of data - The reports are submitted by verified landlords or property managers who manage those properties. Landlords answer fact based questions in a yes/no format and all the questions that are available have been verified to be legal questions to answer. Some even upload pictures of before and after of the unit.
    3. Quantity of data - We've partnered with other legal databases similar to ours that have been keeping their own databases in different parts of the country, private databases that have been compiled by tenant screening companies and were previously only available to their customers only as part of their tenant screening services. Plus, our focus is in Sacramento, CA area for now, once 50% of landlords start using our database in our area, it will be good enough to be useful. We will then focus on other areas of the country. @Steve Vaughan you should add your "turd alerts". 
    4. Incentives - Every landlord reference submitted gets them a free search. @Account Closed
    5. Need for landlords to participate - Credit Report, Evictions, Criminal records are not good enough, that's why @Daria B.started this topic, and that's why we started our database. There are many ways that professional tenants can remove themselves from being shown up in a credit report or eviction. They can simply file a dispute, or put their account on fraud alert and their account will not show any of the bad things that you're looking for when you run their credit, eviction reports. If most of the landlords in your city were submitting information about their tenants on a legal database, imagine how many less bad tenant you would have to deal with?

    As always, looking for feedback, suggestions, concerns.

    You are missing my point about liability. What benefit is there for a landlord to expose themselves to ANY liability? If I get sued, your lawyers aren't going to help me. The bigger issue is that most landlords are not going to take the time to add a tenant because there is no benefit. Half of them won't even return my phone calls when I try to get references. Others will give false references to get bad tenants out. Still others will pay bad tenants to leave, rather than use the legal system, which would actually slow down these criminals. I understand this is your business and you have a vested interest in it succeeding. I just don't see how you are doing it differently.

    The majority of problems come from landlords not even doing the basic checks. Many don't run credit checks or even verify references. Or worse yet they run credit checks and look past the warning signs because they are desperate to get their place rented.

    1Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Daria B.:
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:

    @Daria B. there are databases in addition to Renterinc that other people have started too, but nothing has gained mass traction. The problem is that any angry landlord could put someone on a list. The proof is often he-said she-said, so that is why these lists face potential legal problems.

    The best system we have as landlords is the US legal system. That means when someone damages your property, stand firm on the damages. Either they pay or take them to court. Bad tenants will often have judgement against them, so when you run a credit report and see "XYZ Property Management", that is your best clue.

    The other side of the argument is that some tenants are falsely accused or over charged. I have seen charges that are so high, it would be considered illegal. For that reason I wouldn't trust every landlord to rightly be placing people on lists. Court systems are there to mediate.  

    The other side of this is that there are also websites for landlord reviews, like reviewmylandlord.com so we all run the risk of getting put wrongly on a list. 

     I'm going through answering several posts so hopefully this is not a repeat answer.

    The idea and database of information as it were, would be pointed factual based questions requiring a yes/no answer. And be simple like have they been late in the term period. If so, how many times. Was the same excuse given. 

    If like any survey the questions are open to the participants written ideas, then yes it's going to be a she said he said rather than using the yes/no method.

    How is answering yes or no not open to interpretation? Was the property left in same or better when tenant moved out? You answer no and the tenant says you are lying. It is not a fact, it is an opinion unless you can provide proof. Lots of room for dispute and retaliation by angry ex-tenants. Watch them review you as a landlord and see how their version of the facts plays out. I am not saying it is right, but you have to understand how people think. They will lie and retaliate.

    There is no substitute for following a good screening process. Credit, criminal and references. These lists only contain a tiny fraction of the renter population anyways, so are pretty much useless.

    0Reply
  • Daria B.
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Gainesville, FL · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 432 votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:
    Originally posted by @Daria B.:
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:

    @Daria B. there are databases in addition to Renterinc that other people have started too, but nothing has gained mass traction. The problem is that any angry landlord could put someone on a list. The proof is often he-said she-said, so that is why these lists face potential legal problems.

    The best system we have as landlords is the US legal system. That means when someone damages your property, stand firm on the damages. Either they pay or take them to court. Bad tenants will often have judgement against them, so when you run a credit report and see "XYZ Property Management", that is your best clue.

    The other side of the argument is that some tenants are falsely accused or over charged. I have seen charges that are so high, it would be considered illegal. For that reason I wouldn't trust every landlord to rightly be placing people on lists. Court systems are there to mediate.  

    The other side of this is that there are also websites for landlord reviews, like reviewmylandlord.com so we all run the risk of getting put wrongly on a list. 

     I'm going through answering several posts so hopefully this is not a repeat answer.

    The idea and database of information as it were, would be pointed factual based questions requiring a yes/no answer. And be simple like have they been late in the term period. If so, how many times. Was the same excuse given. 

    If like any survey the questions are open to the participants written ideas, then yes it's going to be a she said he said rather than using the yes/no method.

    How is answering yes or no not open to interpretation? Was the property left in same or better when tenant moved out? You answer no and the tenant says you are lying. It is not a fact, it is an opinion unless you can provide proof. Lots of room for dispute and retaliation by angry ex-tenants. Watch them review you as a landlord and see how their version of the facts plays out. I am not saying it is right, but you have to understand how people think. They will lie and retaliate.

    There is no substitute for following a good screening process. Credit, criminal and references. These lists only contain a tiny fraction of the renter population anyways, so are pretty much useless.

     I guess I shouldn't assume but I do assume that photos and written documentation are done. I just didn't say it - sometimes these threads just get too long and I thought that to be obvious. :-)

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · Princeton, TX · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    You would be surprised how little liability there is.  Thanks to companies like craigslist, backdoor, equivalent, and others there is not the liability you would expect.

    0Reply
  • Vitaliy Merkulov
    Property Manager · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 121 posts · 33 votes
    9y

    We're completely FCRA compliant, we're Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) as defined by FCRA, we abide by very similar regulations as Credit Reporting Agencies (TransUnion, Experian, Equifax). I'm not an attorney, but our attorneys did a lot of work to make sure that RenterInc reports are flawless. The only way that landlord would get sued if they provided false information, and in this case they should be sued for that. @Brooklyn A.

    @Shaun Patterson Landlords who deny their applicant based on the information found on our database, landlord must notify the applicant that they got denied based on the information on our database. We provide a form that landlords can use to notify their denied applicants. This is the same law that requires landlords to notify applicant whom they denied based on their credit report.

    @Daria B. "The idea and database of information as it were, would be pointed factual based questions requiring a yes/no answer. And be simple like have they been late in the term period. If so, how many times." That's exactly what kind of questions are asked on our database. Here is a sample report.

    0Reply
  • Daria B.
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Gainesville, FL · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 432 votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Vitaliy Merkulov:

    We're completely FCRA compliant, we're Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) as defined by FCRA, we abide by very similar regulations as Credit Reporting Agencies (TransUnion, Experian, Equifax). I'm not an attorney, but our attorneys did a lot of work to make sure that RenterInc reports are flawless. The only way that landlord would get sued if they provided false information, and in this case they should be sued for that. @Brooklyn A.

    @Shaun Patterson Landlords who deny their applicant based on the information found on our database, landlord must notify the applicant that they got denied based on the information on our database. We provide a form that landlords can use to notify their denied applicants. This is the same law that requires landlords to notify applicant whom they denied based on their credit report.

    @Daria B. "The idea and database of information as it were, would be pointed factual based questions requiring a yes/no answer. And be simple like have they been late in the term period. If so, how many times." That's exactly what kind of questions are asked on our database. Here is a sample report.

      What areas do you cover ?  Actual areas that have been recorded not just that it's available ?

    0Reply
  • Shaun Patterson
    Property Manager · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 296 posts · 143 votes
    9y

    @Vitaliy Merkulov I do not know the ins and outs of your company so I cannot speak on it. You company is basically doing the hard work that most landlords should be doing them self during the screening process. It is a great help to landlords to have a database that can be checked, I think it is still a few years till we get a full working one for the whole usa. The only questions I would ask is the amount of verification that is done on the information that is received. Also what ways are there to stop people from messing with their information or adding fraudulent information on the database. As that can be currently done now with your credit reports. 

    0Reply
  • Vitaliy Merkulov
    Property Manager · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 121 posts · 33 votes
    9y

    @Joe Splitrock "The bigger issue is that most landlords are not going to take the time to add a tenant because there is no benefit."

    With our database landlords have a benefit to respond to a landlord reference request. Landlords get a credit/point each time they respond to landlord reference request on our website. They can use this credit to search a landlord reference about their rental applicant.

    "Half of them won't even return my phone calls when I try to get references."

    The reason why most landlords don't respond to landlord reference phone calls are:
    1. There is no incentive for landlord to tell you anything.
    2. They don't know what they can or can't say legally so it's easier to just not say anything.
    3. They can't legally provide your with a reference without you first sending them signed applicant's consent form.

    Our website solves all three of these problems. I challenge you to give RenterInc a try, start requesting landlord references online and I'm sure you'll get more responses this way.

    @Shaun Patterson What "verification that is done on the information that is received. Also what ways are there to stop people from messing with their information or adding fraudulent information on the database. As that can be currently done now with your credit reports"

    Before any rental reference is submitted, we verify that the landlord who's submitting the reference is an owner/property manager of the property where the tenant was/is living. Tenant is able to request a record about themselves after verifying their identity, after seeing their report, they can dispute the report, and we will add the tenant's side of the story next to the report that landlord submitted.

    1Reply
  • Brooklyn A.
    Eustis, FL · Member since 2017 · 96 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    @Vitaliy Merkulov You can go on with the "Hard Sell" much as you'd like for RenterInc. First off, the service in question and any derivative of this service, is a fringe service. Fringe, because it purports to function as a credit reporting agency and a tenant screening service, that is able to provide information that other tenant screening services do not offer. Specifically, it claims to continue to report any such information that may be in dispute with other major CRAs.

    Upon closer inspection of the claim the your service reports data to its users that may already be in dispute or otherwise unavailable on applicant consumer reports, is highly dubious. It is little more than a clandestine tenant blacklist entirely dependent upon the non-verifiable input of users who provide a limited service to the public.

    If libel is your concern, then upon closer scrutiny of those individual inputs gives rise to the instances of a credible libel cause of action if a prospective tenant proves they are damaged. Even one (1) such instance in your database of libel opens the floodgates for a class action, IMO. The liability of such a credible cause of action for libel, (among other such exposures I will not disclose here) increase exponentially as the database gets a greater installation base of users.

    @Thomas S. If a state's legislation regarding the security deposit, not your lease, allows either party to sue for actual damages (most states do), you can forget it.  In FL, billing a tenant for repair work or stipulating amounts/charges in your lease, functions as an unenforceable liquidated damages clause. It also violates the statutory duties imposed upon the Landlord or its agent to maintain the dwelling (most states have this). A Landlord can't recover upon the security deposit for those items discovered in inspections, especially if those "damaged" items are of normal wear and tear standard (well-settled in most states.) The tenant can always deny knowledge, a standard of proof you can't controvert, and it falls under your duty to maintain the dwelling. These reasons demand that a tenant should always sue the landlord for the security deposit (in Florida.)

    I'm a solid tenant, always have I received a letter of recommendation from the landlords I rented with. It really takes them back when I sue. In the 4 years I've rented, I've never been late once, and have always rented the homes I applied to and they are all SFH in A+ neighborhoods (good credit, good rental history, great income.) I've had to sue the past 3 landlords. I never sue in small claims court, landlords don't respond well when they aren't forced to pay a lawyer (small claims relaxes the procedures and lawyers are not often necessary.) I'll stretch the definition of the so-called professional tenant; I guarantee I'd pass even the most stringent of this site's application standards. I'm a great tenant that has had monumentally bad experiences with landlords, so landlords can expect astute and swift responses of me.

    0Reply
  • Vitaliy Merkulov
    Property Manager · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 121 posts · 33 votes
    9y

    @Daria B. Our website is available for anyone in the USA for requesting landlord references online (free), however our current focus is on Sacramento,CA region. However we do get a lot of landlords from VA, FL, IL, and NY.

    0Reply
  • Mike CumbieBusiness Member
    REALTOR® · Brockport, NY · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Cody L.:

    Yet illegal for John T to say "Sally is a crappy tenant.  DO NOT RENT TO HER" ?

     I don't know if I would say illegal. I would say though that in a civil court the perception is what matters. One is of a poor renter, just trying to make it in this tough world. Who is denied housing due to an evil landlord smearing their good name, because they dared stand up to the slumlord, refusing to pay for a mold ridden apartment. The other is of the bold and brave young tenant who wanted the world to know about the injustices of the evil corporate landlord who is treating their tenants like cattle and others should be warned. Some people will believe that that evil person should have to pay for harming that poor young lamb of a tenant.

    Since odds are that young tenant isn't sitting on a nest egg, even if you were to win odds are you would never collect. Now if they win............

    So I suppose people could participate if they wanted to, I won't be a subscriber.

    I do remember a guy awhile ago made a website where people could post their ex partners who had an STD. He would allow you off if you provided him proof you did not (medical records). His lawyers supported him and stood with him on that hill until he was so far in debt to them and judgements against him he shut it down.

    0Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Daria B.:
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:
    Originally posted by @Daria B.:
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:

    @Daria B. there are databases in addition to Renterinc that other people have started too, but nothing has gained mass traction. The problem is that any angry landlord could put someone on a list. The proof is often he-said she-said, so that is why these lists face potential legal problems.

    The best system we have as landlords is the US legal system. That means when someone damages your property, stand firm on the damages. Either they pay or take them to court. Bad tenants will often have judgement against them, so when you run a credit report and see "XYZ Property Management", that is your best clue.

    The other side of the argument is that some tenants are falsely accused or over charged. I have seen charges that are so high, it would be considered illegal. For that reason I wouldn't trust every landlord to rightly be placing people on lists. Court systems are there to mediate.  

    The other side of this is that there are also websites for landlord reviews, like reviewmylandlord.com so we all run the risk of getting put wrongly on a list. 

     I'm going through answering several posts so hopefully this is not a repeat answer.

    The idea and database of information as it were, would be pointed factual based questions requiring a yes/no answer. And be simple like have they been late in the term period. If so, how many times. Was the same excuse given. 

    If like any survey the questions are open to the participants written ideas, then yes it's going to be a she said he said rather than using the yes/no method.

    How is answering yes or no not open to interpretation? Was the property left in same or better when tenant moved out? You answer no and the tenant says you are lying. It is not a fact, it is an opinion unless you can provide proof. Lots of room for dispute and retaliation by angry ex-tenants. Watch them review you as a landlord and see how their version of the facts plays out. I am not saying it is right, but you have to understand how people think. They will lie and retaliate.

    There is no substitute for following a good screening process. Credit, criminal and references. These lists only contain a tiny fraction of the renter population anyways, so are pretty much useless.

     I guess I shouldn't assume but I do assume that photos and written documentation are done. I just didn't say it - sometimes these threads just get too long and I thought that to be obvious. :-)

     Most landlords don't take photos or have any move-in checklist. I am not referring to you specifically, just generally speaking. It sounds like you are doing things right. Dealing with the bad tenants it just part of the business. Not fun at all...

    0Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Vitaliy Merkulov:

    @Joe Splitrock "The bigger issue is that most landlords are not going to take the time to add a tenant because there is no benefit."

    With our database landlords have a benefit to respond to a landlord reference request. Landlords get a credit/point each time they respond to landlord reference request on our website. They can use this credit to search a landlord reference about their rental applicant.

    "Half of them won't even return my phone calls when I try to get references."

    The reason why most landlords don't respond to landlord reference phone calls are:
    1. There is no incentive for landlord to tell you anything.
    2. They don't know what they can or can't say legally so it's easier to just not say anything.
    3. They can't legally provide your with a reference without you first sending them signed applicant's consent form.

    Our website solves all three of these problems. I challenge you to give RenterInc a try, start requesting landlord references online and I'm sure you'll get more responses this way.

    @Shaun Patterson What "verification that is done on the information that is received. Also what ways are there to stop people from messing with their information or adding fraudulent information on the database. As that can be currently done now with your credit reports"

    Before any rental reference is submitted, we verify that the landlord who's submitting the reference is an owner/property manager of the property where the tenant was/is living. Tenant is able to request a record about themselves after verifying their identity, after seeing their report, they can dispute the report, and we will add the tenant's side of the story next to the report that landlord submitted.

     "The reason why most landlords don't respond to landlord reference phone calls are: "
    1. There is no incentive for landlord to tell you anything.

    Correct. Only the larger landlords or companies respond, because they know they may be asking me for a reference in the future. The mom and pop landlords are the problem and they won't be any more likely to use your service.


    2. They don't know what they can or can't say legally so it's easier to just not say anything.

    Most people would rather give a reference over the phone because it is protected. California is a two party consent state, so you can say whatever you want on the phone and at best it becomes here say in court. Submitting something in writing to your website gets published for anyone to see.


    3. They can't legally provide your with a reference without you first sending them signed applicant's consent form.

    Correct. Every landlord I deal with has consent as part of the application process. Are you saying your website provides information without applicant consent?

    0Reply
  • Shaun Patterson
    Property Manager · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 296 posts · 143 votes
    9y

    @Brooklyn A.  you point out a great point in regards to screening. Especially the fact that most landlords don't check for tenant lawsuits against other landlords they only check to see if they have been evicted. Even though you cannot deny for most of the things that you find out about a tenant it still gives you a great overall picture of what kind of tenant you will be dealing with.  In your situation regarding sueing the last three landlords would be something to think about while going over applicants. 

    @Joe Splitrock its true that some landlords are hard to get a hold of. I have had to spam a landlord's phone using different numbers after faxing and emailing the rental verification form to them to get an update. I let them know exactly what you say its me asking for information now but in the future when you call you will be requesting the same from me. 

    0Reply
  • Brooklyn A.
    Eustis, FL · Member since 2017 · 96 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    @Shaun Patterson Non-Disclosure Agreements in all three lawsuits. Try that and your furnisher of information is fried chicken.

    0Reply
  • Shaun Patterson
    Property Manager · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 296 posts · 143 votes
    9y

    @Brooklyn A.   it's a simple process to check a court house for all cases that a tenant has been in. Common sense will tell you something even if you don't see the details of the case but notice that the defendants are previous landlords. These parts are also not outsourced and done in house. Which brings me back to the screening process used to vet tenants. 

    1Reply
  • Brooklyn A.
    Eustis, FL · Member since 2017 · 96 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    @Shaun Patterson Fatal to your assumption is the fact that, the immediate previous landlord hasn't been sued yet and all you have to go by is their glowing, positive review. You can try to "win" this all you'd like. 

    0Reply
  • Matt Lawhun
    Wholesaler · Fort Mill, SC · Member since 2014 · 20 posts · 28 votes
    9y

    My biggest complaint is about the tenants who pass the screening, then they move right in and start making payments late. I would think, of all things on this earth, you would make the payment to keep a roof over your head above all others. Sure, there will be tough times... that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about habitually late tenants who wait until that eviction notice comes to finally get caught up. I've got a tenant that I would put in that database today if some created it.

    1Reply
  • Vitaliy Merkulov
    Property Manager · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 121 posts · 33 votes
    9y

    @Joe Splitrock 

    "The reason why most landlords don't respond to landlord reference phone calls are: "

    1. There is no incentive for landlord to tell you anything.

    Correct. Only the larger landlords or companies respond, because they know they may be asking me for a reference in the future. The mom and pop landlords are the problem and they won't be any more likely to use your service.

    Small landlords have incentive to respond to landlord reference requests because they get to check the database for free every time they submit a reference about their past tenant. 


    2. They don't know what they can or can't say legally so it's easier to just not say anything.

    Most people would rather give a reference over the phone because it is protected. California is a two party consent state, so you can say whatever you want on the phone and at best it becomes here say in court. Submitting something in writing to your website gets published for anyone to see.

    If you know that everything that you're asked to answer on a landlord reference is legal, why would you care that it's available for other landlords to see? 

    3. They can't legally provide your with a reference without you first sending them signed applicant's consent form.

    Correct. Every landlord I deal with has consent as part of the application process. Are you saying your website provides information without applicant consent?

    When someone calls you and asks you a "few questions" about your past tenant, how can you verify that that landlord has a signed consent form without verifying a copy of it? When a landlord requests a landlord reference from a past landlord, they attach a copy of their applicant's signed consent form. An email is sent to the landlord with the signed consent form, landlord simply follows the link on their email and fills out the landlord reference after verifying their identity. This is much easier and more reliable then faxing. Our system send email reminders every day for 7 days, so you're most likely going to get the references back much more then cold calling landlords or faxing them.

    0Reply
  • Jacqueline Mann
    Rehabber · DC/MD/VA · Member since 2016 · 18 posts · 9 votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Brooklyn A.:

    @Shaun Patterson Fatal to your assumption is the fact that, the immediate previous landlord hasn't been sued yet and all you have to go by is their glowing, positive review. You can try to "win" this all you'd like. 

     Brooklyn AU, you sound very bitter against landlords. Your posts make me also want to check for any lawsuits a potential tenant has been involved in, period, regardless of details. Especially when you said "the immediate previous landlord hasn't been sued YET." 

    0Reply
  • Shaun Patterson
    Property Manager · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 296 posts · 143 votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Jacqueline Mann:
    Originally posted by @Brooklyn A.:

    @Shaun Patterson Fatal to your assumption is the fact that, the immediate previous landlord hasn't been sued yet and all you have to go by is their glowing, positive review. You can try to "win" this all you'd like. 

     Brooklyn AU, you sound very bitter against landlords. Your posts make me also want to check for any lawsuits a potential tenant has been involved in, period, regardless of details. Especially when you said "the immediate previous landlord hasn't been sued YET." 

     It's something that has been happing a lot recently so I would definitely advise that to be done. I also never fall back on what the current landlord says about a tenant unless they are a big management firm. As has been said previously and also brought to light with previous comments. Things can happen after the tenant moves out the property. 

    1Reply
  • Brooklyn A.
    Eustis, FL · Member since 2017 · 96 posts · 6 votes
    9y

    This landlord has now turned the discussion of this topic from tenant screening to prejudicing currently approved tenants. A current or prospective tenant defined to be a protected class, following the FHA 42 U.S.C 3604, will have a cause of action. This extends to any person associated with the renter as in 42 U.S.C 3604(f)(1)(C) and (2)(C), respectively.

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