Need help evalutating a potential tenant with a few issues.

[Therese V.]

I am looking at a potential tenant that has a solid job with the local school system. This tenant was in an abusive relationship and left and that caused an eviction proceeding when the partner stopped paying rent (court record searches confirm the story).

This person has a low credit score, a bunch of student loans that are constantly 120+ days late (I'm not sure if the credit report is indicating they aren't paying or just always paying really late- total of all debt is about $15k). The rental is less than 1/3 their monthly income and they have some medical bills in collections, 2 comcast and 1 verizon (dating back to the abusive relationship situation).

It seems to me this person may be trying to dig themselves out of the situation but I just want some additional input. I am leaning towards saying to accept with them understanding that rent must be a priority to pay each month (it's a month to month lease in a very landlord friendly state so eviction wouldn't be too hard and they would need both first month's rent and security in order to move in- in addition to having electric in their name).

There aren't any other qualified potential tenants that have come forward- the place has been "for rent" for months now and we have been getting people lying on the application, criminal records, wrong social security numbers, etc. So this person is looking more attractive because at least she didn't lie about the eviction and everything.

[Karl B.]

See if the tenant is willing to get a co-signer who has good income (such as a parent or sibling). 

I had a tenant with a similar eviction (a few years prior she moved out of her apartment and her ex-boyfriend supposedly stopped paying rent despite her giving her share of the rent to him prior to leaving).

Since it showed up as an eviction I had her dad co-sign the lease.

She's lived in my unit for 19 months and all is well. I receive rent every month and have no issues with her.