HELP! Should I rent to a tenant with a prior eviction?

[Garrett Diegel]

I have a unit in a tri-plex that is available to rent. I had a tenant call to see the property. Everything seemed good, they looked good and showed up on time to the showing. The only problem is when I sent them over the application they stated that they had a prior eviction 4 years ago in 2012. The tenant stated they would pay higher rent and a higher deposit but I'm concerned that I might end up with a problem on my hands in the event they decide to stop paying rent. On the plus side they were very open about the eviction and didn't try to hide anything. People can change so it's tough to just lable them. What would you do? Run the BG check and go from there?

[Robert P.]

@Garrett Diegel, I will never rent from someone who has been evicted before. Sure, they could have changed and will pay on time each month, but having an eviction shows a to me a couple of things:

1. They paid rent late, or did not pay rent, most likely for more than one month in a row. 

2. They let it go all the way to a full eviction, rather than working out a deal with the landlord.

So I would personally NEVER rent to someone who has had a prior eviction. What are the odds that they have changed? How can you prove that? Also, check your local laws, but I know in MA you can't charge someone more rent than you would charge someone else. They have obviouslty had a hard time finding a place to live if they are offering that up front. It should not be hard to find someone else. 

Best of luck!