No idea if a text message and the pattern of behavior (letting you show new people the place for a 10/1 move) would hold up in court to streamline things if it came to that. 

We have to help each other in any way possible, and change tenant behavior.

View interactive map displaying SFR returns in all 375 counties analyzed.Rental yields decrease in 57 percent of marketsMedian sales prices for single family homes rose faster than average fair market rents in 213 of the 375 counties (57 percent), resulting in declining gross annual rental yields in the same percentage of counties.Counties with the declining gross annual rental yields included Los Angeles County, California; Cook County, Illinois, in the Chicago metro area; Maricopa County, Arizona in the Phoenix metro area; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Queens County, New York.MethodologyFor this report, ATTOM Data Solutions looked at all U.S. counties with a population of 100,000 or more and with sufficient home price and rental rate data.

However, Carol Tome, had a good point when she brought up homeowner shopping behavior.

I wanted to get the property running as I wished, and wanted to observe the tenants' behavior before I committed to them.

Repeat that behavior, buy as low in the market that you can, and sell high.  

If things ever go sideways the plantiff's attorney, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, will blow those phrases up in 30-point font and display it for the jury while trying to hang you out to dry.The bottom line is that you need a good securities attorney.  

It is maddening that you are rewarding them for their defiant behavior, but the bottom line is this should just be a business decision for you.

Some people on this thread are amused or think you are being difficult, but you have to gather these records for your tenant application file, in the event some disgruntled applicant gives you grief - you can demonstrate consistent behavior on your part for all applicants ...

I realize there is additional paperwork done with the housing authority but am curious in others experience renting this way if they have had any kind of bad or aggressive behavior experienced from any of the local township personal when doing these type of rentals.Thanks.T.K.