Best way to reject a good potential tenant?

[Deanna Bennett]

I am in the great position to select between two wonderful tenants and I have chosen one over the other. Any great advice on how to break the news to the rejected party? Should it be over the phone or a in a letter? And is there any specific wording I should use or avoid? Thank you for your help!!

[Jeffrey K.]

I always have a few friends in the business and I give them their phone number. If you have screened both of them then you might be able to save the the app fee for a peer's unit. I do this all of the time and other landlords send tenants your way when their unit does not meet a qualified applicant's needs.