Refusing a Tenant Prospect Before Showing/Application
Most Popular Reply
Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes
1yQuote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.
Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
31 Replies
- Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes1y
Theres certainly no problem with asking for an ID. Simply safety screening criteria. We dont show homes without an ID.
District Invest Group546 Reviews - Realtor · Hanover Twp, PA · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes1y
@Fareen E., I think you are on solid ground because they won't provide their ID. I wouldn't tell them its because you have drawn a conclusion about them being difficult because that is subjective. I would just not move forward with scheduling a showing until/unless they comply with the procedure to do so (providing ID, pre-screening, etc).
I understand the safety concern. I personally avoid individual showings and schedule open houses instead. That lessens the concern as there are often multiple groups of people at the house at a given time.
- Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes1y
You are perfectly legal and right to do so.
The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews - 1yArvand SabetianBusiness MemberMember since 2024 · 62 posts · 21 votes
That is entirely acceptable. If you're clear about your expectations then that's their issue. Ask yourself, if they're exhibiting this behavior now how will they conduct themselves once they become a tenant?
- OH · Member since 2022 · 75 posts · 23 votes1y
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity. - 1yMackaylee BeachPro MemberReal Estate Agent · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 492 votes
Absolutely not a problem. If you have clearly communicated your requirements to the prospect, then they are simply not adhering to them.
- Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes1y
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
- Rental Property Investor · Southwest MI · Member since 2024 · 40 posts · 19 votes1y
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
Yes to all the posters that agree with my policy of requiring an ID. It didn’t help that Facebook put a little note: “this may be a scam” under my message after I mentioned my expectations. I’ll have to re-think how I manage FB Messenger communications moving forward, like perhaps switching to the corporate email once anything goes past the initial inquiry.
- 1yGregory SchwartzBusiness MemberRental Property Investor · College Station, TX · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
A few thoughts,
- let him know you're unable to show due to your showing policy. Are you not necessarily denying him based on screening criteria
- Some landlords make it a requirement to view the property prior to letting the applicant apply. We don't have that policy and I don't ever tell an applicant they can't apply I just make sure that there are multiple correspondences documenting our screening criteria. This helps keep me out of hot water with fairhousing.
Schwartz Realty Group5117 Reviews - Rental Property Investor · Southwest MI · Member since 2024 · 40 posts · 19 votes1yYes. Thank you for your feedback. I did exactly that. I’m hyper-conscious of fair housing and only alluded to the showing not being possible due to my not being able to secure his ID per policy as stated. Also: I must have mentioned the request several times so it was clear.
Quote from @Gregory Schwartz:
A few thoughts,
- let him know you're unable to show due to your showing policy. Are you not necessarily denying him based on screening criteria
- Some landlords make it a requirement to view the property prior to letting the applicant apply. We don't have that policy and I don't ever tell an applicant they can't apply I just make sure that there are multiple correspondences documenting our screening criteria. This helps keep me out of hot water with fairhousing. - Rental Property Investor · Southwest MI · Member since 2024 · 40 posts · 19 votes1y
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Yes, I provided my corporate email for him to share his ID. He was able to verify my identity as a longtime local realtor also.
My safety and the security of my property are fair reasons and have my policy for all my showings- regardless of whether I’m a listing, selling agent or landlord.
Finally, no I didn’t discourage an application; I wanted to say “we’re not a good fit” but realized this would be egregious on my part and simply stated the showing was canceled due to my not receiving the ID per policy (in so many words).
I appreciate your input :)
- 1yAdam BartomeoBusiness MemberReal Estate Broker · Cape Coral, FL · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
We deny showing all the time because people won't share their contact info. There is a safety and follow up piece to have the proper information. There are so many scams out there that we have to protect ourselves and unsuspecting tenants before allowing a showing.
Bartomeo Property Management4.7150 Reviews - OH · Member since 2022 · 75 posts · 23 votes1y
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
@Steve K. Please take a minute to reread what I wrote. You can deny a showing, but you cannot prevent/discourage someone from applying. That would be a fair housing violation.
"there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waste their time" These are valid reasons but depend greatly on your market and who is showing the property.Theft - No one is going to steal while you are there. Someone planning on stealing anything of worth is going to do it while you are gone. You could argue that they are using the tour to scope out the building. However, a simple security system would deter this.
Personal Safety - I assume you are using their ID to run a background check and deciding if their history affects your safety, correct?
Wasting Time - @Fareen E. I've found this to be super helpful: When someone inquires about the property Thank them and Send them the pre-requirements (Income, credit, no evictions) and ask if they meet them. The vast majority of them will out themselves and you can decline to show the property.
- 1yGregory SchwartzBusiness MemberRental Property Investor · College Station, TX · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
Quote from @Fareen E.:
Yes. Thank you for your feedback. I did exactly that. I’m hyper-conscious of fair housing and only alluded to the showing not being possible due to my not being able to secure his ID per policy as stated. Also: I must have mentioned the request several times so it was clear.Quote from @Gregory Schwartz:
A few thoughts,
- let him know you're unable to show due to your showing policy. Are you not necessarily denying him based on screening criteria
- Some landlords make it a requirement to view the property prior to letting the applicant apply. We don't have that policy and I don't ever tell an applicant they can't apply I just make sure that there are multiple correspondences documenting our screening criteria. This helps keep me out of hot water with fairhousing.Smart move. documentation is your best friend :) Stay safe out there. I worked for a property management company that requires all potential tenants to check into the main office prior to showing as a means to provide a safe showing for the employees. Despite the extra requirements we had plenty of showing and very little vacancy.
Schwartz Realty Group5117 Reviews - Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes1y
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
@Steve K. Please take a minute to reread what I wrote. You can deny a showing, but you cannot prevent/discourage someone from applying. That would be a fair housing violation.
"there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waste their time" These are valid reasons but depend greatly on your market and who is showing the property.Theft - No one is going to steal while you are there. Someone planning on stealing anything of worth is going to do it while you are gone. You could argue that they are using the tour to scope out the building. However, a simple security system would deter this.
Personal Safety - I assume you are using their ID to run a background check and deciding if their history affects your safety, correct?
Wasting Time - @Fareen E. I've found this to be super helpful: When someone inquires about the property Thank them and Send them the pre-requirements (Income, credit, no evictions) and ask if they meet them. The vast majority of them will out themselves and you can decline to show the property.
Oh boy. First day on the job? They don’t steal in front of you, they come back later and steal. Security systems are easily outsmarted, that’s the point of the initial visit, to case the joint. Or they run a scam where they pretend to be the landlord and steal prospective tenants security deposits. Or any number of other scams. Asking for ID for a showing is a pro move. You should be doing this IMO. There’s no risk and all reward because if somebody can’t provide ID, they’re not going to be able to rent from me anyway.
- 1yDrew SygitBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
@Fareen E. as long as you don't violate Fair Housing and are CONSISTENT, you can do whatever.
If you require an ID from EVERYONE, you are safe.
Logical Property Management4.9451 Reviews - Real Estate Broker · Hyde Park Tampa, FL · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes1y
What starts out crazy, ends crazier.
He's not worth the thought process/second guessing your putting yourself through. Move on to finding a credible/chaos-free tenant.
- Rental Property Investor · Southwest MI · Member since 2024 · 40 posts · 19 votes1ySuch a short, succinct reply. Love it. Thanks!
Quote from @Patricia Steiner:
What starts out crazy, ends crazier.
He's not worth the thought process/second guessing your putting yourself through. Move on to finding a credible/chaos-free tenant.
- OH · Member since 2022 · 75 posts · 23 votes1y
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
@Steve K. Please take a minute to reread what I wrote. You can deny a showing, but you cannot prevent/discourage someone from applying. That would be a fair housing violation.
"there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waste their time" These are valid reasons but depend greatly on your market and who is showing the property.Theft - No one is going to steal while you are there. Someone planning on stealing anything of worth is going to do it while you are gone. You could argue that they are using the tour to scope out the building. However, a simple security system would deter this.
Personal Safety - I assume you are using their ID to run a background check and deciding if their history affects your safety, correct?
Wasting Time - @Fareen E. I've found this to be super helpful: When someone inquires about the property Thank them and Send them the pre-requirements (Income, credit, no evictions) and ask if they meet them. The vast majority of them will out themselves and you can decline to show the property.
Oh boy. First day on the job? They don’t steal in front of you, they come back later and steal. Security systems are easily outsmarted, that’s the point of the initial visit, to case the joint. Or they run a scam where they pretend to be the landlord and steal prospective tenants security deposits. Or any number of other scams. Asking for ID for a showing is a pro move. You should be doing this IMO. There’s no risk and all reward because if somebody can’t provide ID, they’re not going to be able to rent from me anyway.
Again, you're repeating what I have said. Sounds like you have a pretty poor security system.
- Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes1yEven with a good security system, having a tenant provide ID is the first step in a professional screening process. It would be great if security systems stopped all crimes, but they don’t.
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
@Steve K. Please take a minute to reread what I wrote. You can deny a showing, but you cannot prevent/discourage someone from applying. That would be a fair housing violation.
"there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waste their time" These are valid reasons but depend greatly on your market and who is showing the property.Theft - No one is going to steal while you are there. Someone planning on stealing anything of worth is going to do it while you are gone. You could argue that they are using the tour to scope out the building. However, a simple security system would deter this.
Personal Safety - I assume you are using their ID to run a background check and deciding if their history affects your safety, correct?
Wasting Time - @Fareen E. I've found this to be super helpful: When someone inquires about the property Thank them and Send them the pre-requirements (Income, credit, no evictions) and ask if they meet them. The vast majority of them will out themselves and you can decline to show the property.
Oh boy. First day on the job? They don’t steal in front of you, they come back later and steal. Security systems are easily outsmarted, that’s the point of the initial visit, to case the joint. Or they run a scam where they pretend to be the landlord and steal prospective tenants security deposits. Or any number of other scams. Asking for ID for a showing is a pro move. You should be doing this IMO. There’s no risk and all reward because if somebody can’t provide ID, they’re not going to be able to rent from me anyway.
Again, you're repeating what I have said. Sounds like you have a pretty poor security system.
- Interior Decorator · Nationwide · Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 4 votes1y
You have every right to refuse to show a property to a person who does not comply with the prerequisites. Showing ID is not only a safety measure for yourself and the other person, it also helps to reduce fraud if someone is unwilling to provide identification and is being this difficult with a simple ask, then I would also question whether or not they would be a good fit as a tenant
- Interior Decorator · Nationwide · Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 4 votes1y
I second this, if asking for the identification is for the sole purpose of verifying one’s identity then it’s not a violation of the fair housing act, however, if it were to verify someone’s citizenship or something that is not required in order to meet the housing requirements then it could be determined as housing discrimination .
Quote from @Steve K.:
Quote from @David Spurlock:
Hey @Fareen E.,
You've gotten a lot of feedback here saying you are in the clear to decline them. However, I would disagree. I do the majority of my leasing on Facebook and Zillow and I never ask for an ID. You need to think about this from the tenant's perspective. While Facebook Marketplace isn't the sketchiest site (craigslist), I personally would never give my ID across it. If the only indication that he is difficult is not wanting to send his ID to a stranger on Facebook, I wouldn't blame him.
You are more than welcome to decline a showing because he is not comfortable with your requirements, but you are not allowed to discourage someone from applying to your apartment. That is an easy way to get a Fair Housing Violation case.
Lastly, why do you care who is looking at the property? When they apply is when you should confirm their identity.Asking for ID as a requirement to show a rental is not a fair housing violation, and there are plenty of reasons why a landlord should care who is looking at their property, theft and their own personal safety being the first 2 that spring to mind, followed closely by not wanting to waster their time. If someone isn’t willing to provide ID, they are not a serious applicant and possibly a scammer, so it’s a good screening tool to weed out the tire-kickers and sketch balls. My PM asks for ID as step #1 for these reasons.
- Realtor · Hanover Twp, PA · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes1y
@Caria Mitchell, someone's ID doesn't verify citizenship. A noncitizen can get a driver's license.
Also, keep in mind that not all rentals are subject to fair housing law. So, landlords of exempt units don't even have to be concerned at all.
- Interior Decorator · Nationwide · Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 4 votes1y
You are correct, however I was clarifying if the ask involved trying to figure out a persons’ citizenship like asking for a the person’s green card in addition to or in place of.
Quote from @Kevin Sobilo:
@Caria Mitchell, someone's ID doesn't verify citizenship. A noncitizen can get a driver's license.
Also, keep in mind that not all rentals are subject to fair housing law. So, landlords of exempt units don't even have to be concerned at all.
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