common for applicants to flake?

[Jay Garrison]

I am renting out a 3 bedroom apartment on Chicago's Southwest side. The steps in the tenancy process are:

     1) application (personal info, current address, former, job, a personal reference) and last 2 paystubs

     2) A Transunion Smartmove background check, which is $40 and the tenant pays. I tell them I don't want perfect credit or a certain credit score, I am looking for bankruptcies, repos, evictions.

     3)   first month + one month security deposit - I make sure to explain why I think a security deposit (as opposed to a non refundable move in fee) is beneficial for both parties and everyone assures me they don't have a problem with a security deposit

Potential tenants A took an application and texted me the next day, asking if they could email it in. I said sure. I never received it nor heard from them again, despite two days later texting them to see if they were still interested. When they came by they were in love with the place, assuring me they would be awesome tenants etc.

Potential tenant B was a leasing agent who promised to send me her credit score and said she could give me the move in fees within days. She told me the school nearby would be awesome for her daughter, she loved the patio and I promised to put in a washer dryer hookup for her. I texted her two days later asking when she would send the credit report, and she never replied back. 
 

3 college students came in, filled out applications and expressed strong interest in moving in before the fall semester started. I contacted one two days later to tell her the place was available and ask her if they were still interested; if so could they sent their paystubs in. She said they were, and would send me paystubs ASAP. Days later, and I haven't received or heard anything.

Is this kind of thing common? Am I making an errors in my handling of the process? The neighborhood where the unit is has few rentals and even fewer that are newly renovated, and my rent is the going rate for 3 bedroom in this area. Thanks!

[Mike S.]

I've given out as many as 40 applications and as little as 3 before I've found a tenant. I've had many hyper eager applicants wanting to fill out the application right there, give me the money and secure the rental only to never be heard from again when I tell them to fill it out at home and collect additional required info to turn in at the same time. I've had accepted applicants on the way to meet me at the rental with the holding fee/deposit not show up and ghost me from then on.

It's all part of the process. The key thing is to not let any one or all of these things make you desperate. Always screen and always enforce your requirements.