I want to deny this potential tenant. Would you agree?

[Linda Thomas]

Hello all,

A couple w/ 4 kids. She has been at her job for 4 months. He has been at his job for 5 months. Prior to that they were both at their previous jobs about 1 yr. She is living w her sister and he renting a room and they want to move in together. She put her sister as her landlord reference.

Would it be okay to deny based on too short of a time at jobs based on not having stable and reliable income

and also include in the denial letter that she doesn't have a landlord reference? 

would you agree w/ this ? 

thanks 

[Ke Nan Wang]

In general, even if your operation falls under the exemption of fair housing laws, I would recommend only write the bare minimum in a denial letter. If you have qualification requirements and there is one that the applicant doesn't meet, then just use that one. 

Personally, just based on the information you provided wouldn't be reasons to deny an applicant. Especially if you don't have other applications in the pool. 

I would call the employer and ask for an employer reference. The reference needs to show that the employee is a stable to the company. 

Relative is fine, if she's paying rent to the relative, I would ask for a bank statement showing the rent payment going out of the applicant's account each month during their tenancy. If the rent payment is showing on the 1st or before, that's an indication of a responsible behavior. 

If it's a couple from two different rentals, bank statements from each of them will show their payment behavior. You can ask them to redact as much as necessary, just show the rent payment line item and that's the only thing you care about. 

Then take a look at the combined past rent in relationship to your current rent? If they are similar, I would say they will be fine. If there is a big jump, then I would ask for additional security, either 50% more in security or pay last two month rent as an example.