Would appreciate advice on tenant screening and a big inconsistency...

[Kristine Lambert]

Hi all, 

I'm hoping someone more experienced can provide some guidance for me. My fiancé and I have a SFH that we just finished renovating to list for rent. While working on the house last week, a woman and her adult son stopped by to ask if we would be renting soon. We explained that we would be listing this week and allowed them to look around. In the course of talking with them, the son mentioned separately to both me and my fiancé that he lived with his mom, had done so for a while, and was planning to take the smaller bedroom. He also made comments about taking care of the lawn, etc.

We listed the house last night and the woman immediately applied.  We advised her that her son also needed to apply and she replied that her son was not going to live with her and was out of town through the end of the year. 

I'm not sure how to respond given that he was quite clear that he intended to live there. Our form lease forbids any adult from living in the house who is not on the lease, but am I just setting myself up for a fight later?  

Kristine 

[Jacob St. Martin]

Hello Kristine, 

If you heard the son talking about living there then I would say that to them. If they insist that he won't be living there I wouldn't rent to them. If they are going to lie about something like this that has no financial consequence for them they are going to lie about other things. 

Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!