Seattle Landlords Cannot Conduct Criminal Background Checks

[Steve Nowak]

Seattle has a new regulation that prohibits landlord's from performing a criminal background check on prospective tenants.   Is anyone area of any other locations with this restriction?

[Steve Vaughan]

Originally posted by @Tom Pritchett:

The Seattle area is so unfriendly toward land lords.  We cannot choose who gets to rent out of prospective renters.  We have to take the very first one that fits our criteria in order received.  

This and our assets cost so much, our ROI is almost non existent. We are selling all of our rentals and getting out. The real question is, where to go from here?

 I may have heard of digital apts/houses for rent postings that ask questions and only respond via anonymous e-mail to people that answer the questions.  

I may have heard that cross-streets only are listed for property address and no phone number is listed.

I may have heard of quick court case records searches done before the people that answered the questions are replied to.

I may have heard that the idea is to pre-screen extensively before anybody even sees the unit let alone apply.

I may have heard that security deposit requirements were raised significantly for everyone just in case an animal is involved that might have paperwork saying it isn't a pet. 

I may have heard that landlords aren't as dumb or stuck in their rigid ways as lawmakers would like to think.