All Forum Posts by: Angie W.

Thanks for the explanation @Rachel Zhang

I always ask for the info you stated above. In addition I verify phone #'s given for employers, landlords, etc. before I even pick up the phone. And I do call all of them. I also perform record checks on my own and look them up on Facebook. The credit is the last thing I look at and I only look at it if everything else is up to muster.

Once they are in the property, I do not tolerate late rent - EVER. You may be late once with a good believable excuse, but it won't happen again.

You are right - many less than stellar tenants target individual landlords because they think we won't check or will be more lenient. I surprise them. I am probably more strict than a lot of apartment communities in the area and I don't budge. I know who my tenant base is and how they operate. I would rather see my property vacant a little longer than take an "iffy" applicant who will cost me a lot more than a months rent later down the line. They all have sob stories and I say "I am sorry to hear that, but you don't qualify to rent from me"

Thanks for the heads up!

Thanks for the info @Roy N.

This site is so great for information on the multitude of things you can run across.

Although it doesn't look like my young tenants are going to pan out this time (not returning my phone call for missing app. info) at least now I have some useful knowledge for next time.

One question...For those using co-signers, how do you include that in your lease? A statement at the end? A clause? A separate agreement? Not sure where I would put that in...

@Rachel Zhang I'm confused by what you are saying. The smart move website says that they keep the SS# private but not that they don't collect it. Am I misunderstanding? I understand that Smart Move does not release it to the landlord, but I always ask for SS# on my applications and to see their card.

Is the SS# thing the only reason you would not use them? Or are there other things one should be aware of? If you could elaborate it would be appreciated.

@Thomas Williamson Thanks for the info! I plan on setting it up so they pay directly and I don't have to mess with handling the funds.

I agree, it does tell you how serious they are - and if they are slow to respond it is no one's fault but their own. Plus it frees me up not having to process that part myself.

I had one married couple question it (if there was a discount for a married couple)- so I thought I'd ask. But as I told them each person is an individual with their own history regardless of your marital status. I need to know if something happens between them, that I still have a reputable person in my property.

I will be using Smart Move for the first time with my current vacancy.

I have been looking over the site and it appears that if I want everything that they offer the cost is $30. I have a few questions for anyone who may be using this service.

1. How are married couples processed? Do they each pay the $30 and I have to send them two different links?

2. Do you find the service helpful in screening applicants credit history?

I am looking for something other than an arbitrary recommendation.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Wow, sorry this happened to you. I am fairly new to being a landlord so I am no expert but I did just went through something similar but not as severe.

1. Late rent is not something to "get used to" One late payment fine, it may happen. But the second time I would give a warning or a 3 day notice (or whatever the law is in your area)

2. If both people signed the lease they are both legally and financially responsible for its terms. Just because he got another job doesn't mean he gets a get of my lease free card.

Second, if you do not have a sublease clause in your lease, as well as a visitors vs. occupants clause you should. You have a right to screen and approve anyone who will be living in your property as well as collect extra rent and security deposit for each additional occupant if you wish. I personally would never knowingly allow anyone to live in my property without them being on the lease (therefore also being a responsible party that I can go after in court) and putting them through the application and approval process,

In this case I would have held the brother liable (assuming he's on the lease) until the new ones could be approved (which they probably couldn't - that's why they are moving in instead of getting their own place). If they did get approved I would at the very least draw up a new lease including their names etc. But more than likely given the original tenants history with late rent I don't think I would have cut them any deal and just ask them to leave or evicted them on late rent.

Bottom line - If you KNOW someone new is moving in get them on the lease BEFORE they move in even a toothbrush!

3. I reiterate my point from #1 - do not let late rent become "something you get used to"

No, depending on what your lease says, it is not legal for them to move in without your approval. But your lease is the governing document here - if you have no clauses, it would make it harder to prove.

That being said, even if it is against your lease (therefore illegal) you can't just go over and kick them out. Or for that matter the police will not do it either. They will tell you it is a legal matter. You have to take it to court and evict the actual tenant for breaching the lease.

4. Unfortunately it sounds like you were dealing with "professional tenants" here. They knew how long they could stay rent free, and they pegged you as being "easy" so they got even more time rent free due to your delay in filing for non payment.

As for the utilities - it is my understanding (at least in my area) that you are not allowed to shut off the utilities - they call it forcible eviction here. I always thought this was a crock IF the lease agreement states they are required to pay all the utilities and put them in their name. In my mind, if this is the case, I am not forcibly evicting - I am just enforcing my lease terms by not keeping the utilities on in my name. This is fortunately a situation I have not had to deal with but something I will be checking into.Maybe someone else knows more on this.

Just remember this is a business and you have to run it like a business. Tenants are not your friends, they are someone you have a business arrangement with. Have a good lease and stick to its terms. Sometimes you can show a little leniency but not too often or you will get burned.

Good luck to you - I hope your next experience is a better one.

@Wes Eaves you are right things have changed a lot.

@George Paiva This was kind of my thinking. As I stated above all things have to weigh against each other. With an applicant with good rental references and employment history I would still run the credit but it wouldn't be as big of a factor (depending on the information). With the younger crowd, such as this couple the credit history plays a bigger role to me simply because I have nothing else to go on. I still am leaning towards the thinking of no history is better than bad history.

@Steve Babiak Do you suggest I do this in writing? When I go through my screening I actually do weigh all the criteria that I set. Balancing one thing against another.

For instance, the couple I have now have absolutely nothing against them in the court of law with the exception of a traffic ticket 5 years ago (this is almost unheard of with my tenant pool) and absolutely no criminal history at all. If their employment checks out tomorrow they more than meet my income and debt/ratio requirements. In those 3 areas (ability to pay, criminal history, and evictions) they meet and exceed my requirements. The 4th area that I give weight to is residential/rental history and if necessary credit history. With the other three areas exceeding my requirements as well as any other applicants/interested parties thus far, I feel I would rather see little/no history than bad. I like the suggestion of co-signing as it would appear to give me someone more experienced and established to help make sure they are being responsible.

On the flip side other parties who are interested start the conversation with "I was evicted last year", "I have a felony conviction and lots of stuff on my record", "My mom will sign a letter stating she pays my X amount per week to take care of my grandpa" "we lost our house last week and have been staying with different friends" and the list goes on.

This is my Minimum list and usually will eliminate 60% of people on the phone:

Valid photo ID

Verifiable employment/income for last 5 years with a minimum income of 3x's rent

No Evictions

Background Check and character references

last 5 years of residential history

Credit check

This is also the order of importance to me. I've learned that everyone has a story and that most people usually don't have a 750 credit score and a stellar spotless background - if they did they would buy - especially in this market.

I agree with Joe. Screening helps a great deal in avoiding headaches but nothing is a guarantee against them.

I'd say my biggest mistake with my first tenant was getting too comfortable with him. He had been our tenant going on 2 years, and was great. He paid his rent on time, kept the yard decent, only called when their was a maintenance issue etc. We allowed him his privacy, and since he was such a great tenant otherwise, never really questioned about the girlfriend who seemed to be there all the time (but not on the lease). At 2 1/2 years in he got scammed by the girlfriend who had him put in jail with a restraining order so that he couldn't come back on the property, and she was living in our house along with who knows how many others. I had to evict HIM (even though he was legally no longer allowed there) to get HER out.

Looking back we should've been more alert/on top of who was actually taking up residence at our property and insisted that they fill out an application and qualify to be on the lease. However, sometimes it is really hard to prove that someone is living there vs. visiting or just staying the night. After looking at her records (a day late and a dollar short) we discovered that she was a professional tenant. She knew how to work the system.

You can put whatever terms you want in a lease, that doesn't mean that people will follow them. It just means you can TRY to evict them for breach of contract. Non-Payment of rent seems to be the only slam dunk here.

Thanks @Andrew S. A co-signer may be a very viable option.

@Karen Margrave I appreciate your input. I am sensitive to not discriminating that's one reason I came here to ask. I do have a minimum set of criteria that everyone must meet - and even have it in writing which I hand to prospective tenants before completing the application.That way there is no question everyone is judged the same.

In the past I have had to worry more about evictions, judgements, felons etc. but now it seems I am dealing more with no credit/rental references which is new territory. Not bad territory just different.