7 Reasons You Should Reject a Tenant’s Application
Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010
by CLTaylor
Creative Communications
You never know exactly what kind of person you are going to get applying to live in your apartment complex or home. This is precisely why you need to run background checks and make the person fill out an application form. Here are seven reasons you may reject an application during the tenant screening process:
1. Income level
Every company has different rules in regards to income. Some apartment complexes have restricted income levels where there is a minimum and maximum set amount that a tenant can make. However, most landlords have a minimum requirement such as you must make two times as much as your rent per month.
During the tenant screening process, one of the top things you will want to look at is the credit history of the applicant. If they have poor credit, it could mean they might fall behind on payments and will not be able to make rent on time. This is something you have to be very cautious of and may want to require a co-signer.
3. Exceeds occupancy
You need to set a limit for how many people are allowed to live in the place you are renting out. If it is a one bedroom, the last thing you want is seven people living in the apartment. Make sure each person who will be living in the place signs the lease.
4. Inadequate rental history
The next thing to look at with the tenant screening report is the applicant's rental history. If they have no past rental history, talk to them to find out why and make sure they are capable of making payments on time.
5. Past evictions
Along the same lines as the last point, look to see if the applicant has been evicted from previous landlords. If so, ask them why they were evicted and determine if it is a legitimate reason to reject their application. You may want to give the previous landlord a call as well to find out if the applicant is telling the whole story. Property management companies can also handle this for you.
6. Criminal record
A lot of times people with a criminal record will be rejected depending on the crime. Small things like speeding tickets you will want to overlook, but any felonies should be taken seriously. While you will ultimately have the final say, it is important you protect other residents as well, especially considering litigation can result against you.
7. Pets
The final facet that can determine whether or not you reject the application during the tenant screening report is pets. Make a decision on whether or not you want to allow pets and if so, what kind of pets and how big they can be. Some apartment complexes allow no pets, others allow just cats, and others allow cats and dogs that are smaller than 20 pounds. The reason for this is to ensure the property is left the way the tenant came in. You can also get a pet deposit to cover any expenses once the applicant leaves.
To learn more about how to screen your tenants go to www.rate-a-renter.com
Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant and freelance writer. She can be reached at creativecommunications@cox.net
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