Unmarried Couple, Only one Can Afford the Rent on Their Own

[Ted Klein]

Hello BP, I have a question on what to do in the scenario where I have an unmarried couple that I would like to rent to. Problem is, that one of them makes most of the money of their combined income. My concern is that if they were to split up, then the other one would not be able to afford the rent on their own.

Do I write a lease were the primary breadwinner is the sole leasee or do I just go ahead and write a joint lease where they are both on the lease and hope that they stay together.

The candidates appear to be very responsible, clean and drove a clean car. I might add, that one of them works in the law enforcement field and is well qualified, so on the surface, they appear to be a very good choice for a tenant.

Just looking for suggestions on how to handle a possible situation that might end badly.

Seattle Washington, Snohomish County, Puget Sound

[Nathan Gesner]

My policy is to combine the income for a couple. This is true if they are married, dating, or just friends.

When renting to three or more individuals that are not related by blood or marriage, then I increase my standards so that each individual makes at least 2x the rent and has a credit score of 650. This prevents five friends from pooling their Burger King money together and turning a house into a party zone. It works very well for me.