Pre-Screening tenants

[Michael Campione]

New to the landlord thing. Ugh.
This may be an obious question but just checking my gut.
My sister is managing my property in Texas until I move there. She just informed me the first applicant filled out the application and paid half of the application fee and said her husband would be there after work to pay the other half and fill out the remainder of the app.
She then told my sister:
1.They had an eviction because the husband lost his job due to company closing but has a good one now.
2.They are moving because the apartment they live in now is being torn down.
3.Prior residence was in-laws.
4.Their credit score "is not stellar"
OK, I know the answer. Like I said I'm new.

What is the best way to handle this situation. Should I just tell them "more than likely you will be declined due to an eviction"?

Thanks for any advice.

[Michael Rossi]

Icarus1,

I would develop a written set of screening criteria. For example, one criteria I use is that we don't rent to anyone who has been evicted in the past 5 years.

Then, before I allow anyone to fill out an application, I tell them our screening criteria. In fact, I tell them our criteria on the phone before I waste a trip to the property to show them the rental. I also tell them that the application fee is non-refundable. So, if they fill out the application and don't meet the criteria, I've got lunch money! Always start your screening with a criminal background check. That can usually be done for free.

Once I find out that the tenant has an eviction, I'd just tell them we don't accept anyone who has been evicted in the past 5 years. It's that simple.

Mike