Do you think this person is fraudulent?

[Curtis Stoddard]

Hello all,

I have a prospective tenant applying for a 6 month lease at my 1b1b studio rental unit.  She is an older woman that says she is going through a divorce and wants to move to my town so she can be close to her adult daughter.  She really really wants this unit and has let me know that constantly for 3 days.  She will not complete a background check with me as i require of all my tenants. Instead she had her daughters husband fill out the report and says he will co-sign with her on the lease. He passed the background check with flying colors. She says that she will pay all 6 months of rent and deposit at the signing of lease.

Should i be concerned with this person???

Or should i get all 6 months rent up front and have her son in law cosign on the lease. I'm a pretty new landlord and have not come across something like this before.  thank you for all your advice in advance.

-Curtis

[Linda Weygant]

Refusing the background check would be a deal breaker for me.  The offer of cash up front also does not pass the sniff test.  This is somebody who is desperate and my gut feel is there is more to the story than just a divorce.  Check social media and google to see what's out there.  Make sure you check newspapers in her hometown as well.  But only if you're determined to give her a chance.

I'd give this one a hard pass, even with the daughter/husband as co-signers.  If you've got other qualified applicants, I'd go with somebody else who doesn't have this weirdness going on.