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Updated over 3 years ago, 03/18/2021
Is This An Undercover Co-Signer Attempt
I have had a young couple apply for my 2bed 1bath apartment in my multiunit. The girlfriend is unemployed and stays home looking after the couples 1 year only son. Her credit score is 522.
The boyfriend has a 615 credit score and has had a job since April 2019 working at the same company his father manages. He is only bringing in about $2,500/mo. He and his girlfriend alone do not meat the income requirement for this rental, as it is $1,075/mo +$1,075 security deposit.
This is where it gets interesting:
The boyfriends father also filled out an application to be a co-applicant. Under reasons for moving he has: "This is my first time renting. I own a house in Heber, CA, but due to a change in my personal circumstances I will be moving out." (mind you, everyone applying here currently lives together). His credit score is 776, no total debt, and is bringing in about $4,500/mo. He said that he would be able to afford the mortgage on his current home and the rent required at the rental property, because he says his wife pays a portion of the mortgage too.
Upon conduction a walkthrough of the property, I was told last minute that the father could not make it (so now it is just the couple and their child). I told them that they could do the walkthrough, but if I haven’t rented out the property yet and the father still wanted to see it himself, that he would be welcome to schedule a viewing. The girl friend said that the father if very busy and travels at least 6 months out of the year and wouldn’t be here at the property often.
For me, red flags seem to be popping up all over the place. Are they attempting to use the father as an undercover co-signer and should I decline the application? and if so, on what grounds can I do this?
This is my husband and I's first time renting to people, as we are first time landlords. Any and all advise is welcome. Thanks
@Mary M. They are paying for the application and within that application comes the credit check and the criminal records check. I can see qualified tenants willing to pay.
What I have had is people contacting me via phone and email instead of just clicking the application button on the site, because maybe they are not qualified applicants and just don’t want to spend that money... I can only see that it may get kind of expensive if they’re applying for multiple apartments at once.
I see it as just another way to weed unqualified people out. At the end of the day it protects me and my investment. 
@Iesha Padilla
Eviction moratorium.
First red flag, hard pass.
Better vacant than a problem tenant.
@Bill O'Donnell appreciate the response. I definitely want to protect myself.
I don't have the experience of being a landlord but the way I look at it is, if you have a bad gut feeling and you see red flags, move on - there are other qualified people to rent to!
@Iesha Padilla that makes sense. For the folks that call/email you can send them your screening criteria then show them the apt, then if they are interested they can apply using whatever method you prefer.
That is basically how it happens here. I want folks to see the apt before applying - in my area i must take the first qualified applicant so I want to be sure that they like the place etc
you might check your local laws and see what it says, if anything, about the order of applicants etc I believe the issue is discrimination so IMO its always best to go with first qualified applicant.
Anyway good luck!
@Mary M. There is no walking this property without submitting an application. I need that criminal background done before that. Maybe a little different than you might do things out there.
Thanks for the feedback.
@Iesha Padilla
I cosign my kids apartment because they are students. Seems they are using dad as cosignor because of poor credit. Definitely check the previous rental history if the kids. Find out if they got all the security back. Also, I would bump up the security deposit to your states max. In my state, I can up deposit to 2 months.
Thanks @Curtis Mears. I will check that out.
@Iesha Padilla yeah as everyone stated, I would deny due to income restrictions. It’s probably way better tenants out there
Originally posted by @Iesha Padilla:
@Mary M. They are paying for the application and within that application comes the credit check and the criminal records check. I can see qualified tenants willing to pay.
What I have had is people contacting me via phone and email instead of just clicking the application button on the site, because maybe they are not qualified applicants and just don’t want to spend that money... I can only see that it may get kind of expensive if they’re applying for multiple apartments at once.
I see it as just another way to weed unqualified people out. At the end of the day it protects me and my investment. 
Very smart to do heavy pre-screening. I wish I had known this when I first started land lording. In my early days I would show the property to anyone. Now I use heavy pre-screening and knock out 75% of the people who inquiry. I only want to show to qualified people. I have had some people not meet requirements and say, "can I look at it anyways". It is mind blowing how many people will try to waste your time.
The nice thing with Zillow is the applicant can apply once and share it with any landlord on Zillow. So, they are not paying a fee multiple times if they shop properties only on Zillow.
I do believe some qualified people would not be willing to apply before looking at a property, so you will loose some good people in the process. That being said if you are having no troubles getting properties rented quickly with your process, I see no harm.
In this particular situation, it seems the father is only on the application to help them get approved. It is more like he is a cosigner than co-applicant. I guess decide if you are ok with cosigners. Given the pandemic and eviction moratoriums, I am staying away from any complicated situations. Some people like co-signers, but in my experience they have even less incentive to pay rent because they don't live there. We have a no-cosigner policy.
@Mindy Jensen fantastic advice!
@Jaquetta T Ragland thanks. I think we’ll keep looking.
@Joe Splitrock thanks for sharing. I didn’t know that an applicant could apply once and then use it for other landlords on Zillow. How nice!
@Iesha Padilla. I would suggest if you decide to rent to these folks, get a larger deposit 2X or 3X as "primary" folks are credit challenged.
Another alternative, (if you do decide to rent to these folks) might be to make the Father the primary Tenant (He pays the rent) and the Son & Girlfriend are additional occupants.
@Jim Cummings it has crossed my mind to do that. My issue is that... what it clearly looks like they are trying to do... and what they are actually telling me is the case.
Is it even legal for me to ask them if this is what their intentions are?
@Joe Splitrock one of the great things about showing units to folks that ask is that I get to practice my marketing skills. I am an introvert loner so marketing is not my forte so i really try to use every opportunity to better myself and my ability to close a deal. So who better to "practice" on than the folks that are really owners pretending to be tenants and seeing what is available, folks that wont qualify anyway, housing authority folks, etc ;). i am kind of joking, but by the time the real applicant comes along I am so good at my sales pitch they want the apartment :)
You may have a situation where dad is co-signing to get the kids out of his house. Or you may have kids using the dad's id to get the rental and dad has no idea what is going on. Without you meeting dad and talking to him, you really do not know if dad has any knowledge of this rental situation.
I have had children apply for my rentals using their parent's id and when I looked up the parents phone number on the web the parents knew nothing about what was going on with their id being used.
@Iesha Padilla. First make a decision - are you willing to accept these folks? Do they meet whatever your criteria is or whatever you would accept.
Then I would say - your' credit is not great, you don't make sufficient money to qualify. But I'm willing to do this: XXXX & YYYY . That could be rent to Dad (making him sign as responsible for rent), 2X or 3X the Security Deposit. Whatever criteria you want to put on the transaction that is legal and defensible.
GO for it - if you want this or tell them goodbye!
Originally posted by @Jim Cummings:
@Iesha Padilla. First make a decision - are you willing to accept these folks? Do they meet whatever your criteria is or whatever you would accept.
Then I would say - your' credit is not great, you don't make sufficient money to qualify. But I'm willing to do this: XXXX & YYYY . That could be rent to Dad (making him sign as responsible for rent), 2X or 3X the Security Deposit. Whatever criteria you want to put on the transaction that is legal and defensible.
GO for it - if you want this or tell them goodbye!
Great advice Jim. Thanks again!
Originally posted by @Mary M.:
@Joe Splitrock one of the great things about showing units to folks that ask is that I get to practice my marketing skills. I am an introvert loner so marketing is not my forte so i really try to use every opportunity to better myself and my ability to close a deal. So who better to "practice" on than the folks that are really owners pretending to be tenants and seeing what is available, folks that wont qualify anyway, housing authority folks, etc ;). i am kind of joking, but by the time the real applicant comes along I am so good at my sales pitch they want the apartment :)
That is a great suggestion if you need to practice.
My filtering has not only found people who don't qualify, but other landlords or home owners looking to "learn" about the rental business. As I have gotten older, I have learned the value of time. I don't want people wasting my time and I don't waste other peoples time. If I know there is no way I am renting to someone, I am going to be upfront, so they can spend time looking at houses that may rent to them.
That all being said, I have been in sales and marketing over 20 years and I am an extrovert, although sometimes I am a loner;)