Great income and credit scores…… BUT!

[Kelly Moss]

Hello all. This is my first rental so am not sure how to handle this tenant screening. I am in Los Angeles County in a B-class neighborhood and am mostly receiving interest from either those that do not meet the income requirement of 3x the rent, or from those recently divorced/separated. The most qualified candidate we have received so far is a couple that seem very professional/nice, have AMAZING credit scores and incomes, and all together no red flags in their credit/background checks (credit score of 800!). My issues is that the guy is going through a separation from his wife and now seems to be moving in with this other girl who is 15 years younger than him. From their employment history, it looks like they might have only known each other for a few months. I’m not trying to make this a moral issue as I am not in the business of morals, but my concern is that their relationship will not last long and will cause us problems (e.g. home damage or at least 1 moving out suddenly leaving us in a pickle). We have not received any other applications at this time, but am sure at least a few more will come in if we wait.

Should we reject them? If so, on what basis and what do we tell them? Any insight helps, thank you all!

[Melanie Thomas]

I advise you to establish a consistent screening criteria and apply it uniformly for each applicant. Ensure that the applicants acknowledge and consent to this criteria. It's crucial to be meticulous in this process to avoid any Fair Housing complications. I have a well-structured criteria that I'm willing to share with you if you're interested. Simply send me a message. Best of luck with your investing ventures!