I had a new tenant (roommate) want to move in same day. I said a Thursday move-in is what I'm looking for. I told this person that I would send them the rental application. They said they had people that could vouch for them-- I said I didn't need personal references, just the rental app itself. I thought I sent it yesterday, but they say they didn't get it so I resent it. This person says they're living with a significant other right now. This person owns a house that they rent out. I already verified this. They got the house i marital breakup. I even looked up the divorce to see if there was one -- there was. It's a fairly good priced house, so they get pretty good rental income from it. Their house is almost the price of my house. They are essentially self-employed in a services field with a business office. I verified office address, but not income or bank statements. The homeownership is great. Them wanting to move-in same day is what makes me wonder if something is off. Are they trying to rush moving in simply because they don't want to live with their current significant other, or they trying to move in without being screened? Are they trying to move in and bounce a check? Do I 100% need to check their credit? Since they've owned their house for several years now, there likely won't be landlord references that I can call. Does something 'feel' off about this to you?

Awesome. My deposit is less than a month's rent as well. My rents though are at or slightly below market and I don't have trouble keeping tenants. Gone are the days when I could collect first, last and a deposit. My deposit has always been less than a month's rent though.

Oh, and thanks everyone. I got a new tenant moving in December 1. New tenant had no problem filling out application. Easily verified and done deal. Previous suspicious tenant flaked.

Mark H. All I asked for on the original application they got was 2 landlord references, job/income info, and deposit/rent in cash if they wante to move in the next day. If that scares them away, good. For some reason they were trying to avoid filling out an application that I said was short and quick before even seeing it, instead seeing they had people who could be references. I don't even ask for personal references. I was even going to allow a move-in quick like I told them, but I require an application and 1st month/deposit money order or cash. This person wasn't verifiable with good credit and verifiable job like your tenants. If they had both those verifiable, I would've been less suspicious. If they didn't want to move in same day in a few hours, I wouldn't have been suspicious. If they said they had friends who could be references and wanting to avoid the incredibly short application altogether from the start, I wouldn't have been suspicious. This person had no verifiable income (said they were newly self-employed) and no landlord references (owned home, but rented it out because they couldn't afford it). They wanted the same day move-in within an hour. If this person was willing to complete the app, had a verifiable job/references, and didn't seem trying to avoid the whole process, I probably wouldn't have been suspicious and may have even let them move in the next day. They told me about themselves (living with their date, owned a home, self-employed), but had nothing verifiable. Nearby rentals require deposits of one months rent, no matter your credit here. And, they require a full background check in this area. I've lived at those places in my area, and they require all sorts of stuff- background check, personal references, credit check, plus cashier's check or money order as the deposit. Well, the nice places do. I can't imagine what I *told* them being scarier than all the apartment requirements. I didn't tell them "fill this out, then I need to talk to your ex-" etc. I see where you're going with this anyway, and had any of their story been verifiable or had they not been so avoidant of any rental application, I might have done it too (but with the money order or cash). If they had the great job/references and didn't seem so suspicious and avoidant, I probably would've taken a check for the deposit. I have taken them before, too, and hadn't been burned. But, my previous tenants didn't want to move in a few hours later and never hesitated on filling out an app. Maybe this one would've been ok, but avoiding an easy rental app with no references or verifiable job wanting to move in 2 hours later... I did find someone else. That person asked for the application before I mentioned there was one, filled it out in about 2 minutes, and had no problem with it. Approved, paid, etc. quick and painlessly. They'll move in December 1.

Mark H. glad to hear that you live in a landlord friendly state. I happen to know that the tenants looking for rental homes in my area aren't generally wanting to find an apartment. There willing to pay more for a garage, yard, more distance from others that might be noisy, etc. In general I don't see apartments as competition to my SFRs. Now if someone remodeled a SF home nearby and offered a $99 move-in special that would be a different story. Not seeing that happen in my neighborhoods though. I rarely have problems finding or placing tenants these days, but I've been at it for about 20 years. Tenants do want a quick decision and they do have options. Typically though they leave themselves some time to find a new place though. When they have to move in ASAP there usually is a reason and it quite likely isn't a reason that benefits a landlord. In the past I might have been excited by a tenant that can pay first, last and deposit up front in cash to move in tomorrow. These days it takes less to move in and waving cash doesn't have the same effect. Nothing wrong with streamlining your tenant screening process and allowing for a quick decision actually I like to turn applications around in a day. Landlords have to decide what there tenant screening criteria will be. As a landlord gains experience the screening criteria can and should change. In my case I don't care if they've had major medical issues and not paid all their medical bills as long as they have sufficient income and have a good history of paying there rent. The FICO score means nothing to me when evaluating tenants.

Or, if the potential room-mate actually *has* good credit & real income, they had other choices & didn't feel like getting put through an invasive wringer, or waiting around for ten days + while you dinked around & called ex's, bosses, & third-grade teachers for references. I'm renting single-family homes, not rooms - but I can get the info & make a decision quickly - often the same day, perhaps the next day. So can most other landlords and apartment complexes. Don't forget that your tenant is interviewing you while you're interviewing them, especially in a room-mate situation. You're *selling* something, and the tenants you want have choices. While the grizzled opinions of some of the burnt-out landlords here are worth considering, don't forget the grizzled opinions of burnt-out tenants. Experienced tenants may have had deposits taken wrongfully by previous landlords, landlords who refused to fix things, and most-importantly, landlords who were all up in the tenant's business. I'm going to step against the grain here and admit something that breaks all the "rules"... I've taken a check for a move-in deposit from a tenant before. Done it more than once, actually. If the tenant is 760+, with good credit & a verifiable job (with some time there) they're "collectible" - in my state, I will get my money, or they'll have to quit their job & leave the state. If you look at the approval process for the big complexes in your area, a good credit history & a stable job will often get you a $99 deposit & ASAP move-in, without much "hand-wringing" on the part of the property manager. That's who you're competing with for *good* tenants. You might be "better off" without this particular room-mate, but you might have also scared off a good tenant by demanding cash for move-in and appearing to be an "in-your-face" landlord. It's a balancing act, and it's easy to be "Joe Harda$$", multi-billionaire-landlord, fills-every-vacancy-the-same-day-with-800 fico tenants-who are rocket-scientists that don't smoke, have pets, cook with curry, or defile my toilets by pooping in them. Just sayin'...

The nature of other income. The fact that children may be on ADT medications. The fact tenants may have pets. Crimes committed as a youth can be concealed. A tenant may be in the witness protection program. Sometimes a spouse has been battered and is fleeing from the situation. There are lots of things that will not necessarily come up in a background check. Many times that don't or shouldn't influence the tenant selection process, but still can lead to problems. One of these tenants caused the greatest amount of property damage I've ever had. The tenant was a model tenant for years and I noticed no problems when I collected the rent and inspected part of the house. Things changed though and I won't discuss it in a public forum.

New Roommate wanting to move in Same Day. Bad sign?

Tim Czarkowski

Involved In Real Estate · Jacksonville, FL · Member since 2012 · 217 posts · 42 votes

New Roommate wanting to move in Same Day. Bad sign?

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