Advice on potential tenant with credit issues

[Scott MacDonald]

Hi All,

I was looking for some advice on a potential applicant I have for a property I am renting. I have received an application from two room mates and while one of them was clear the other has multiple collections open. He was open and honest and said that he had bad credit but I was shocked when the application came through and he has $40k in collections as recent as March 2018. He has advised his mum is willing to go guarantor and claims she has a 800+ score and would be happy to go as the guarantor but lives in Maryland (I am in Texas).

My questions are:

1. What considerations do I need to take into account here? I understand they have a bad history but if his mum is going guarantor with such a good credit score should that give me the comfort I would expect?

2. Will I face any difficulties with the mum being in a different state? If I have to chase them for the money do I log my request at my local court or their local court?

3. Is there any way to find the reasons for the original debt? I had the credit report run through cozy and it gives me the following info:

Contract Callers Inc 

ACCOUNT SERIOUSLY PAST DUE DATE / ACCOUNT ASSIGNED TO ATTORNEY, COLLECTION AGENCY, OR CREDIT GRANTOR'S INTERNAL COLLECTION DEPARTMENT

But it does not give me any info on the cause and what the original debt is for. I may look differently for example if this was owed to an old landlord. Is there any way to obtain more information?

Thanks

Scott