It you communicate your rental criteria to prospective tenants in advance before accepting an application and application fee (required in Washington State), you would not run into this problem.It's perfectly fine to reject an application or approve it with conditions based on legal rental criteria.You may want to use a standard form, such as an "Adverse Action Notice".Here's some information from the one we use:----------ADVERSE ACTION NOTICEApplicant name ____________Applicant mailing address ___________This notice is to inform you that your application to rent the property located at ______________  has been:[] Rejected[] Approved with conditions:[] Residency requires an increased monthly rent of $_____[] Residency requires increased [] fee or [] deposit of $ _____[] Residency requires last month’s rent[] Residency requires a qualified guarantor[] Other requirementAdverse action on your application was based on one or more of the following:[] Information contained in a consumer credit report *[] The consumer credit report did not contain sufficient information *[] Information received in a criminal record[] Information received in a civil record[] Information received from references[] Information received from previous rental history or reference[] Information received from employment verification[] Inaccurate, false, or misleading statements or missing critical information on the application*If you were rejected based on a consumer credit report, you can request a copy of your credit report for free from the below-checked agency.[] Experian[] Equifax[] TransunionDated this day of ________.Agent/Owner Signature _________

What you can do is use someone’s criminal history to deny them if you have a valid reason to do so.

The state went after the agent with CRIMINAL charges for ripping off the owner. 

Hi @Chris Berry.For the last decade or so, we've obtained credit, criminal, and eviction reports from SmartMove by TransUnion.

If the occupants start intentionally damaging the property, call the cops and file a criminal complaint. 

Here in Wisconsin, Section 8 qualifications are quite stingy and require people receiving benefits to be people without criminal records or outstanding evictions.

My question is, regarding criminal background what's average for a good tenant?  

You can obtain credit, criminal, and eviction reports and have your prospect pay for this directly as part of your approval process.I also recommend you do your own verification of tenant rental status and history directly with the previous landlord.I am a long-time satisfied customer of SmartMove, but I receive absolutely NO compensation for this referral.

The wife checks out but her husband has a litany of criminal charges: hit and runs, DUI, etc. from not too long ago.Is this a legitimate reason to deny them? 

7.If you like the property, are you willing to fill out an application for a credit, criminal, and eviction history report?