Tenant Screening Help

[Katherine Earle]

I’m about to rent out the vacant units in my properties, after months of renovating. The rental market is so bad here, that the tenants are having no problem giving out referrals. The first couple of applicants have called me directly and they all have sob stories. I wasn’t super clear on the phone about qualifying criteria. My “spidy senses” (as my attorney refers to it for himself) are flaring up for both sets of applicants, but I can’t check the “other” box for reason stating: “spidy senses are flaring”. So:

1. How do you make a black and white qualifying criteria for screening applicants?

2. How do you deny an applicant when the denial is based on other criteria, such as a bad feeling about them (the first one mentioned domestic violence in the application and the ex already showed up to the unit while it was being worked on, saying he was going to be a tenant. The other has endless sob stories, along with poor credit, and now text-bombing me)? I was originally thinking a poor credit score would be a reason for extra security deposit, but now I seriously reconsidering my thought process.

I like the number system where they get points that equal to a approval, denial, or extra security deposit. My concern is for the “other” category that is based one a hunch if everything else passes.

[Nathan Gesner]

Connect and send me a DM request. I'll share the score sheet I created.

I recommend you include some of your key qualification criteria in the advertisement. For example, I mention that every adult must pay a $30 application fee and pass my credit/criminal background, they must make a combined income of 3x the rent, and whether or not the property accepts pets. Use the top three or four discriminators so applicants can kind of screen themselves.

Then you need to have clear screening criteria yourself. What's the lowest credit score you will allow? Do you check Landlord references? Do you verify their income? Do you know how to read the credit/criminal background? What if they have collections or judgments?

Here's a detailed guide on how to screen applicants: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...