College kids living at home with Parents

[Brady Boyer]

I have an applicant who has an college age child living at home during the pandemic while college is remote. They said the child would move back to college once its in person again. My policy is typically anyone over the age of 18 must apply and be on the lease. How have others been handling this? What have other done in the past when a college kid comes home for the summer and lives in one of your rented units with their parents. 

[Jennifer T.]

For a multi-family property, I at least run a criminal background check for any adult who has moved in.  Even if it is an 18-year-old student and child of the main tenant.  Because 18-year-olds (and younger) can certainly commit violent felonies, yet still get off on probation or a short jail term.  Unlikely, yes.  But possible, also yes.

In my eyes, criminal background checks...because I run them...are an implied promise I make to my multi-family tenants that the tenants around them do not have a violent criminal record.

There needs to be a line somewhere and since 18 is a legal adult, then 18 is my line also.

However, for someone who has already been a good tenant, overall I'd be pretty lenient with the other aspects of the background check for their adult children who are still fairly young and home from college.