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

Question

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

Nathan Gesner · Answer

"Your son told me that he has lived with you for a while, and he intends to live with you here. If that's the case, he needs to apply and be approved. If we discover anyone is living with you without our approval, we will terminate the lease immediately. We expect complete honesty on this issue."

Jacob St. Martin · Answer

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!

Corby Goade · Answer

I don't disagree with any of the above, but there's some nuance here to consider as well.

If these people are "professional tenants," there are all kinds of scams that they could be running. As a landlord, you have to be aware of when you are being played.

You mentioned a couple times that you had "feelings" of some sort about these people- reacting to your feelings when screening tenants is a good way to get caught up in a fair housing case. Your screening process must be objective and you need to provide your criteria within your advertisements.

My two cents- have that conversation; "your son told me he was living with you. If he is, he MUST apply. If he doesn't apply and you pass screening, we will serve an eviction notice the minute someone else moves in."

James Wise · Answer

Deny her immediately and move on. They are liars, give them no second thought.

Another side note, you said son talked about taking care of the lawn.........They only bring stuff like that up during showings to try to get the landlord's guard down and overlook crappy credit or past evictions and things of that nature. They are trying to play you.

JD Martin · Answer

There's a reasonable chance he's a felon or sex offender or something similar which ends up disqualifying her from housing, or perhaps she is on Section 8 or similar and they are trying to hide his income.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Kristine Lambert  I would find this odd if the son is older but if he is college age just could be just a difference in the definition of living with her.  either way though he should be on the lease.

Matthew Morrow · Answer

It sounds like you're in a bit of a tricky situation. Since the son clearly indicated he intended to live there, it's important to address this upfront. You can explain to the woman that your policy requires all adult occupants to be on the lease for liability and compliance reasons. If the son is indeed planning to live there, he will need to apply as well. This sets clear expectations from the start and helps avoid potential conflicts later. Just be transparent about your policies, and hopefully, they'll understand your position. Good luck!

Kristine Lambert · Answer

Good point -- she might be telling the truth, but it sure feels odd.

Tim Baldwin · Answer

My thoughts...

She could by lying. Maybe not though. At a minimum, the lease needs to state that only SHE is the tenant and no other occupants are permitted without permission. If you discover that she violates that prohibition, of course, a notice to cure should be delivered right away. You are right to be suspicious. If you do not feel good about it, deny the application based on the son's statement that he is going to live there, or for other disqualification reasons.

Kristine Lambert · Answer

Thanks Jacob! That makes perfect sense. It is making me very uncomfortable for sure, as it seems very suspicious.

I appreciate the advice!

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

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