It runs a criminal background, credit score and eviction check.

If you have a pile of crap don't expect too much from your tenants.Setting income requirements, credit score, criminal history, pets, etc. is a great way to set a standard but its not going to always weed out bad tenants unfortunately.

And many are the ones you are reading about in the news (or soon will) as they lose properties to foreclosure and wind their way through civil (and occasionally criminal) court.  

. - RU-2, TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT[19]SHARE LINK TO SECTIONPRINT SECTIONDOWNLOAD (DOCX) OF SECTIONSEMAIL SECTIONCOMPARE VERSIONSFootnotes: --- (19) ---Cross reference— Height of fences, walls and hedges in RU Districts, § 33-11; location of swimming pools in RU-2 Districts, § 33-20(c); maximum setback for principal residential buildings in RU-2 Districts, § 33-45.Sec. 33-201. - Uses permitted.SHARE LINK TO SECTIONPRINT SECTIONDOWNLOAD (DOCX) OF SECTIONSEMAIL SECTIONCOMPARE VERSIONSNo land, body of water and/or structure shall be used or permitted to be used and no structure shall be hereafter erected, constructed, moved, reconstructed or structurally altered for any purpose in an RU-2 District which is designed, arranged, or intended to be used or occupied for any purpose, unless otherwise provided for, excepting for one or more of the following uses:(1)Every use permitted in RU-1, RU-1M(a) and RU-1M(b) Districts.(1.1)Workforce housing units in compliance with the provisions of Article XIIA of this Code.(2)On lots meeting the requirements for two-family use, every use as a duplex or two-family residence, including two private garages.

It gives us credit score, Rental payment history, Landlord-tenant history, and criminal history. 

And tying them up in a 6 month contract is criminal in those scenarios.

Three of the 12 did not provide a bid and will be charged criminally at a later date. 

You can check the Franklin County court records for any evictions or criminal background and cross reference this with what was on the application and their credit. 

Do I move forward with them filling out the application before I've even closed on the property, along with paying for the credit/criminal/background check and sending them the Estoppel Certificate?

Credit score is great, no criminal background seen, no evictions, not a registered sex offender.