Screen applicants before renting

[Thomas Dougherty]

Hi guys,

How do you screen your applicants before renting them an apartment or house? What kind of criteria you'll look for and what platform you'll use?  Any advice would be great appreciated! 

[Marc Winter]

So look at the following items:

Income, Credit, Rental history/Previous Landlords, Criminal, Eviction.  There are many more items, but these are the main issues to inspect.

YOU set the parameters as to what will disqualify a tenant.  The MOST important part of this proceedure is to put your criteria IN WRITING, along with a list of required documentation to be submitted by the applicant.  That criteria should be posted on your website and/or your application.  It must be applied equally to ALL applicants--that will keep you on the right side of Fair Housing laws.

That is not to say that if you are looking for a 725 fico score and an applicant has 650 that you would automatically reject.  You must make the determination of what, if any, mitigating circumstances existed to cause the dinged credit.  Example, a major illness years ago resulted in collections accounts from the hospital, might be acceptable; a current collection account for a utility including would not be acceptable.

Lastly, dig into the documentation the prospect provides as to rent receipts, employer letters, notes from previous landlords, etc.  May be hard to believe, but some applicants actually fabricate documents, and some others will lie right to your face.  

Ask me how I know that. . .