All Forum Posts by: TaRa Mehta

Thanks @Scott Allen ! He doesn't want me contacting his employer. So I'm going to honor his request, but also not move forward with them. 

exactly ! 

Thanks @JD Martin! I agree, more pay stubs would not have helped. But he doesn't want me to contact his employer either. Either way, I've decided to move on. 

Thank you, @Michael Robbins ! I'll make sure to add "verifiable" in my list. That's very helpful. I completely agree with you. I've decided to not continue with this applicant. Thanks again ! 

Thank you @Matt Devincenzo, @Bill B., @Quincy Lockett, @Wayne Brooks and @Michael Garofalo! I really appreciate you guys taking the time to answer my question. Based on all your advices, I've decided to not move forward with this applicant. Thank you all again ! 

Quote from @Bill B.:

It certainly “sounds” like fake paystubs. Is the baseline story that the son will be paying for all the rent for an unemployed mom? Does he make 3 x his rent and her rent combined?

If this is your first rental I don’t think you’d be hurt by using a PM at least for placement and screening if not the whole package. Have you gotten other/better applicants? In this market you should be flooded with applicants. 

At least get a May bank statement that shows a reasonable balance, a matching may deposit to the paystub< and confirm he makes 3 x both his and her rent if he’s paying both. 

Thank you @Bill ! Yes he does make 6 times the required rent  - on the one pay stub that he showed.  I'm receiving quite a few inquiries. But before sending them off to a tour,  I ask if they meet the "pre-qualification requirements". Many go silent after that.  Is this list too strict?

Prequalification checklist:
1. Min. credit score 650
2. Min. Gross income 3x rent
3. No smoking in and around the premises
4. No Pets
5. Tenants are responsible for utilities, yard care and renters insurance

Thank you all for your responses!

Quote from @Matt Devincenzo:

I think you'll find your requests aren't reasonable. I run credit to find if there are current late payments, ask an employer if the person is still currently employed and depending on employment type look at a bank statement or pay stub.

Thanks @Matt! How is it not reasonable? Are you saying that asking for more than one pay stub is not reasonable? Please let me know

Thank you @Michael Garofalo! I agree, on paper they look very rude ! But his "attitude" came off very rude. He kept telling me that I don't "need" more than what he has given me. But as a homeowner, shouldn't I figure that out? :)

@Wayne Brooks, Thank you! His hesitancy to show more than a month's pay stub, and asking me not to contact the current employer seemed odd. If all is good, why would someone stop a homeowner from verifying his income and employment status? Isn't that quite routine? 
We are relatively new to renting out to folks. We have had only one tenant so far, and he was with us for 5 years. Now we are looking for the next one. If he has given me one month's pay stub, why be so closed to giving the other 3 ? 

Hello there ! 

We have a prospective tenant and her son that we are screening. The mom is going to live there. Son is going to be on the lease, but won't live there. The main income is from the son. Both have excellent credit scores. The son has provided his 2021 W2, and paystub for the month of May. He told me that he preferred that I not contact his employer. When I asked if he can send me 3 more months of pay stubs, he says, "I didn't need it - because the May paystub already has YTD information". He also told me he's a loan officer and knows how these things work, so as long as I have YTD information, I should be ok.

Should I see this as a red flag? His mom told me that he is very weary of scammers so doesn't want to put much information "out there". But if he has already sent me May pay stubs, why the hesitation to send more? His application says he has been employed there since 2019. How can I verify this?

Please help.

Thanks!

TM

Thank you @David Rodriguez, @Nathan Grabau and @Lien Vuong !
@Nathan Gesner and @Mark B. - thank you for these suggestions. I'll definitely look into this!