All Forum Posts by: Maria G.

My tenants are moving out at the end of the moth. I asked them about having a two-hour open house and they were opposed because of being busy and because it would scare their cats.  Willing to work with them, I found an alternative: "scheduling back to back meetings so that only one family at a time is at their home." In the same email with the new proposal, I reminded them that it is in the lease agreement, but that I didn't want to work like that, but working with them. They agreed and that is set. Now, before that I need to do some repair/diagnostic work. I told them (more than 24 hours before) my intention to inspect something this Saturday and that I would arrive around 11 (it's a two-hour drive). The said they would be out 8-2pm at some event. I asked them if they would mind leaving the keys somewhere, but they came back saying that the cats would be scared and that there would already been a lot of people the week after (as if they were doing me a favor by letting me know the rental!). I suggested to wait until 2 pm, which is really bad because we have a 14-year-old International student arriving that day at 5 pm (so it would be tight). They suggested Sunday, but I reminded them that I had the student, so I can't. They asked if my husband could chaperone the international student or I could just take the student with me (are they kidding? This is a two-hour drive, the student comes to spend a week in America, obviously, I can't do that). Then they suggested Monday, a working day (it's the day off of one of the tenants, so it is convenient for him!). Moreover, I am taking a contractor friend with me, so it is not that I can just drive any time.

They have been good tenants, but I have also been a good landlord to them. They got new carpet, new flooring, a super good price (lots of competition), a new water heater last January, a 5% raise at renewal a year ago. This year I offered them no raise if they needed it (when they told me that the rental was starting to be too much for their budget), letting them come out of the lease and do a month to month, ultimately resulting in their notice (they are downsizing), which leaves me starting my lease in November... (instead of October, a better month). I never entered their property in the two years they have been there, etc. So not having ever asked for anything really, I am a displeased. 

Anyone dealt with something like this? I'm also thinking of not allowing cats in the future.

Thanks for your advice and for letting me vent. 

1. How bad is not having a set of keys of your rental? My tenants are moving out at the end of the month and I haven't really needed the keys, but I wonder if it is a mistake.

2. What's the best place to make a copy of my tenants' keys?

2. I've been reading different opinions on re-keying. Are the electronic locks the latest? I would love not to have an issue with entering the property, and also with being able to change the key at leisure.

3. What is re-keying vs. re-mastering?

Thank you for your help!

So I guess in sum: while I do know I don't want to show the unit to those who don't meet the minimum requirements, I would like to also not show it to those I know don't meet other requirements (that I don't want to list as min). For example, I chose not to post a minimum credit score because I know there are different measurements (FICO, Vantage...) and I want to defer that decision to later, when I am able to review their application on the whole. But once I do, I may have a pretty good idea of whether the applicant is good, and if he/she is not, I'd rather not waste time show them the unit, but I don't want to be accused of not giving them a chance (lawsuits, etc.).

@Rehan A.: Thanks a lot for your detailed explanations.

1) What if it is not the minimum requirements? I list "3x income, no evictions, clean background" as my minimum requirements. So for example, what if I get an application that gets a really low credit score?

2) OK, that makes me thing that in the initial "thanks for your interest" response, I should ask a comment about "please make sure you meet the minimum requirements before you go though this process."

The one person who sent me his application before I had the minimum requirements listed: I didn't take his money, but he did use the tool I told him that I use to screen applicants (rentscreener), so he and his buddy paid $40x2. They got really low scores from it (C and F), including low credit scores (both) and criminal record (one of them, sell/possess marihuana). Should I tell them already? Should I offer a reimbursement of the $80?

Thanks again!

Hello,

My current tenants are leaving at the end of the month and have put the property on the rental market. I don't want to disturb the current tenants with just curious viewers, so I have informed everyone interested in the property that I will be doing only one showing at a later date, but for screened applicants only.

But I don't want to show to those that I can see are not good candidates, only to those that pass my requirements. Is that OK? I know the rule is to treat everyone the same, and I of course, plan to do that.

1. Should I rephrase that? I mean to say "to screened applicants who are selected to the next phase of the process."

2. Should I inform the screened applicant who was not a good candidate that he hasn't made it to the next phase, or simply not contact him for a viewing and then at the end of the month inform him as everyone else that he hasn't been selected? Basically, I feel sorry to not let him know for 3 weeks, given that I know he is not going to be selected.

3. Is it completely OK that I don't schedule viewings with applicants that are not good candidates?

In particular, one bad applicant applied before I put up the minimum requirements on the ad (something I did with your help :), so he may feel, "hey, you didn't tell me." This was my very first applicant, the only one I have talked to on the phone (the day I put up the craigslist ad, before I posted on zillow, etc.) and he mentioned that his credit was not good, whether he should apply. I only said, "well, you will be at a disadvantage, but you can always apply" (knowing, as I do, that you should let everyone apply).

Thanks!

@Ron H.: Thanks. So for sure I won't show it to people who don't even go through the process, I was asking about the ones who did go but from the application turned out not to be good candidates.

Following up letting anyone apply (even if they know the minimum requirements and they decide to apply): do you let them know immediately? I sense that the best way is to tell everyone once you have selected a candidate. The problem is that I am showing the rental only to screened applicants, but I see some who are bad candidates. My wording says: "I'm scheduling a tour on __ for screened applicants ONLY." My questions:

1. Should I rephrase that? I mean to say "to screened applicants who are selected to the next phase of the process."

2. Should I inform the screened applicant who was not a good candidate that he hasn't made it to the next phase, or simply not contact him for a viewing and then at the end of the month inform him as everyone else that he hasn't been selected? Basically, I feel sorry to not let him know for 3 weeks, given that I know he is not going to be selected.

3. Is it completely OK that I don't schedule viewings with applicants that are not good candidates?

In particular, one bad applicant applied before I put up the minimum requirements on the ad (something I did with your help :), so he may feel, "hey, you didn't tell me." This was my very first applicant, the only one I have talked to on the phone (the day I put up the craigslist ad, before I posted on zillow, etc.) and he mentioned that his credit was not good, whether he should apply. I only said, "well, you will be at a disadvantage, but you can always apply" (knowing, as I do, that you should let everyone apply).

@Nathan Gesner: I see, so it is basically equivalent, it is just that those sites charged the applicant directly.

And you are right: it seems that stops many people from applying :)

@Nathan Gesner: Well, I had a $40 application fee in the past, but this time, since I switched to using the application process from zillow/zumper/rentscreener, then I am not charging anything. Do you charge because you do it "manually"?

Interesting to see the different perspectives, thank you.

In my particular situation, I will then try to push for an 11 or 22/23 month lease. The "market +/-$" depending on lease duration sounds like a good idea. I'll see if I can get it.