It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats for the purposes of taking the person's money or property.Okay now let us examine this: Blackmail is an act, often a crime(Breaking a legally binding contract, CHECK!)

Excluding the obvious such as criminals, those with pets or children etc based on your specific property type. 

It checks for credit, evictions and criminal and you can have the applicant pay for the fee then you will get the results.

In my case, it's usually not that the applicant changes their mind, but that they don't pass the eviction or criminal background check.Mike

Really quick, is anyone familiar with the law when it concerns performing a criminal background check for potential renters?

Yes, that would be dishonest and borderline criminal tax evasion. 3.

Newspaper ads are inexpensive.Note: develop your rental policy to avoid people wasting your time (3x rent, pets, smokers, application fee, proof of income, credit/criminal background, etc.)

Make a written evaluation of each applicant:Keeps appointment - On time/Late but called/Late, no callCleanliness - Neatly dressed/Messy/Trashy  -  Vehicle clean/Messy/TrashySocial Media - Posts clean & polite/Crude/Promoting illegal activity/Partier/No posts foundDisposition - Agreeable/Polite/Pleasant/Rude/OffensiveType up a simple form and add the above to your current credit, income, criminal, and reference standards.

@Matthew M.You certainly HAVE pointed out an important thing here -- for good landlords working in low-income/high-cashflow properties, people that have been trapped in the system through previous criminal activities that they have been punished severely for and have reformed, well, very often and sadly make the very best low-income tenants.

With the new HUD rules on screening for criminal background, has anyone developed written criteria to give potential tenants?