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Updated about 6 years ago on . Most recent reply

Account Closed
  • Eastern Michigan
144
Votes |
81
Posts

Tenant Screening Fees- is $40 per person too much?

Account Closed
  • Eastern Michigan
Posted

Hi BP community I'm looking for your opinions on tenant screening fees for credit and background checks.

We have a SFH for rent and were going to do the screening process through Cozy.co since it seems really easy for both parties--but they charge the prospective tenants $40 per person.  So for a couple it would be $80.  That seems like a lot of money to me-- the community our rentals are in is a small working class community where people don't have a lot of disposable income (Adrian MI). 

So I am wondering for those in similar communities, what does your screening process look like?  Do you use a website? In your opinion is $80 a lot of money for a couple of background checks & credit reports? 

I don't want to scare away a potential great renter just because of the application process-- but don't want to get a terrible renter because I skimped on the process either.

Thanks so much!

Most Popular Reply

User Stats

55
Posts
39
Votes
Jim Vanhorn
  • Investor
  • Roebling, NJ
39
Votes |
55
Posts
Jim Vanhorn
  • Investor
  • Roebling, NJ
Replied

@Tiffany Roberts I use cozy for screening and rent payments. if you ask every applicant to pay this then you will probably piss off a lot of people. i pre screen and state my qualifications in writing. and verbally before requesting the screening. this scares off the deadbeats. i actually like the high price as i feel it scares potential bad tenants away. I have had to denile a few people that went through tge process because thay had things like evictions and assault charges. i also has some with a 750 credit score pay for themselves and spouse only to turn down my acceptance because they wanted to buy instead. i receive 8 - 12 applications but only cozy screen 2-3 of them based on the prescreen.

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