@Rhiannon Then Definitely run a full credit, criminal, eviction check on her and any adult over 18 that will be living there.

The unit is roughly 500 sq ft and has two adults & a child living there.

If somebody didn't qualify on their own, as a grown adult with their own income and their own references - I didn't want the job of teaching them how to be an adult or to give them their grown-up consequences for being a grown-up adult who didn't act like one in my building.Just say no.  

Whatever your tenant is spending his money on as a priority other than rent - which is always my personal #1 priority - is his big adult boy lesson to learn and not your problem. 

I look at my own adult life starting 1997 (post college), the fed has embarked on 2 rate cycle increases.

So I guess now I'm fully embracing that as a fairly mature adult who is nowhere near retirement currently.

He might even be a better renter, based on his service history.I would personally be apprehensive with convictions for violent crimes, serious misdemeanors and felonies, felony drug convictions, criminal mischief (vandalism), domestic violence cases (with some exceptions), serious theft cases, and sexual assaults.  

The tenant , husband and adult son were on the lease, but any time I would be there lots of others appeared to be living there as well .

I cant imagine that your prospect roommate's wont know what your paying and then ask why you want them to pay more.You may also run into issues with the landlord by allowing adult occupants to live in the property that are not on the lease.  

What happened to being an adult and preparing for financial problems?