As a Landlord: Be very thorough in your screening process (credit, criminal, hot check and eviction checks), call references, document income, and keep very clear records.

I've gotta potential tenant whom I am meeting with tommorrow to go through the screening process my plan is to check their background, criminal, and eviction history.

BH-I agree these criminals will steal ANYTHING, especially when on drugs, etc...

Ideas to consider: Some sort of splash screen like you get at Mc'Donalds regarding liabilty and whatnot so you don't wind up in court if the tenant uses the service for any sort of criminal or fraudulent activity and change the password once a month or find some other way to deny service to people when they are late on their rent....

Why isn't that a criminal matter?

I'm not familiar with Cali but if the s/l was 4 years for contracts and unsecued notes I'd put my money betting on 4 years.I'd weigh the option of proceeding regardless of the s/l as the borrower would need to bring that as a defense, I'd bet they don't if no payment was ever made.Another issue, if a payment was never made it sounds like mortgage fraud that is another category getting to criminal charges, the s/l will be longer, 7, 10, 12 years, not sure, it depends too if the original was an insured lending institution or a private individual.It also depends if the note was generated from an installment sale or was made as a cash loan, purchase or refi.It will also depend on whois in the property and if the property has been sold over the past 16 years, we just had an example of a subject 2 deal going sour with subsequent sales and that can limit your security if the note holder fails to act in a timely manner.Frankly, I wouldn't fool with this one, 16 years old, foreclosure notice gievn and never followed through, that's pretty much allowing the note to go stale and abandoning the claim of the amounts owed.If the maker of the note is still in the property and you can contact them by phone or in person, you might be able to negoiate something holding the fraud claim over thier head, forgive some of it and modify it back to life, but they need to agree and you can certainly bluff your way along to a point.

He checked her criminal record online and went with the referral he had received.I would ask for references and check them out.

I let them know their credit will be checked, along with criminal background and past evictions.That last part is HUGE- I've had quite a few loose interest once they find out I will check them out thoroughly.

No offense but have you considered using a professional designer to create your logo?

If it was a one-time thing and didn't involve something that could really be a problem (read: drug dealing and sex offenses), then I'm not sure how it's that big of a deal, particularly if it's been years since he's been released.