Tenant screening uncovered DUI's, jail time etc

[Rick Bassett]

Hi All,

Looking for a sanity check here with a potential tenant.

He called on a property, loved it with 2 minutes of walking through it (almost no one loves this property as it has a strange floor plan) and emailed his rental app within a hour. Called me a few hours later looking for a quick approval and said he had a check to drop off. I pushed him back so that we could do a proper screening.

The initial screening (Google) turned up that he was arrested for several DUI's. After a little digging we were also able to find out that he did several 30 - 90 days stints in jail for charges related to these DUI's including violating probation and driving with a suspended license.

I'm inclined to turn him down for the reasons above plus he is self employed 45 minutes from here and has no drivers license to legally get to work.

What would you do?

Rick

[Rick Bassett]

I've no intention of trusting him my $250k house. I turned him down yesterday and he has already sent me two emails with excuses.

I stick to the decisions that I make and won't reconsider his application, I imagine he is used to pushing others into getting what he wants. Not this time.

[Timothy W.]

Feels much better now, doesn't it? Making the right call always does.

[Steve Babiak]

Originally posted by Rick B.:

... I turned him down yesterday and he has already sent me two emails with excuses.
...

Get yourself a throw-away email account for dealing with applicants and prospects; only give the "good" email address you regularly use to tenants you actually accept.

[Arjun K.]

I had a live-in property manager for a property I inherited. I did a background check and uncovered a crime from 20 years ago, but that he did time 5 years ago due to failure-to-report. I also uncovered a theft charge of $500-1000 from 4 years ago. At the time I was hesistant to not renew his lease/play ball, as I believe in giving folks second chances. Ultimately I proactively offered him less rent for a period of time to transition to a new place.

This is what I got in return:
- A bid for $1000 to repair some siding which should cost $150-200
- He vacated the unit in the first month and never paid rent. Cost me $900 and potentially summer leasing season
- Another tenant said he was going to steal my appliances
- Other tenants said they didn't trust him and were glad he was gone and wanted re-keyd apartments

[Dawn Anastasi]

Dawn's quote of the day (and it's a tweet-able!):

People treat a second chance like a found dollar bill -- some will put it to good use, and other people will simply squander it.

[Roy N.]

Originally posted by Dawn A.:

Dawn's quote of the day (and it's a tweet-able!):

People treat a second chance like a found dollar bill -- some will put it to good use, and other people will simply squander it.

Dawn:

What's a dollar bill? :-) Haven't seen one in decades ;-)

[Dawn Anastasi]

Roy N. -- okay, in your case a loonie or a toonie then! Funny enough, I'm working through a rehab on a house and found a toonie -- that I have no use for (at this point).

[Roy N.]

Dawn A.

It must be the week for finding currency ... I was cleaning the last lath & plaster rubble out of a wall cavity yesterday and found a Nova Scotia Penny from 1867 {the last minting before Confederation}. It is fairly well worn, but apparently worth $25 ...

[Account Closed]

I guess ever landlord want a straight a tenant.

Joe Gore

[Account Closed]

@Rob K,

You forgot to add the Unions to that list because they are the scum of the earth.

Joe Gore

[Account Closed]

I can see why landlords don't like to rent to lawyers because they are a professional tenant who asked questions and vet the landlord whom most landlords will start to sweat when a tenant start asking questions and vetting the landlord.

Joe Gore

[Brandon Hicks]

Originally posted by @Rob K.:

"Strippers/hookers - I think this one is obvious, but I have had two for tenants. One was actually that fairy tale you hear about the girl who dances to pay for college. She was a fine tenant, but had some questionable people hanging out at the house. The other was a coked out skank who made mad cash and was always broke. She would pay her rent in $20's and $1's. It was disgusting. Her boyfriend was cool, but she was a horrible person."

One more reason to never accept cash! While were on the subject of strippers and cash....if you're planning a trip to a strip club please remember to get your ones from the bank before you go vs. getting them at the club. Once the ones get into the strip club theyre recycled MANY times before they make it back out. YUCK!

.