Apartment and Rental Properties - Verifying rental application

I'm on my own now w/o a property management company and taking applications from people that are interested in renting the rental condo that I own.

Do I get a consumer report on the applicant?

What's the best (legal) way to do it?

Thank you:thumbup:

We don't bother but lots of landlords do. Some also charge an application fee and claim it cuts down on the number of 'bad' applicants. How you want to do it is up to you. If you want to run a check, get in touch with the credit reporting agencies, you'll have to work through one of them (or pay someone else to work with them on your behalf).

I use a local company and do a credit check (including unlawful detainers) and criminal history on any applicant for a vacancy; it costs me something like $35 per person total. I would not consider renting without doing both those things. In fact, on the table where the blank appications are kept, there is a sign advising potential applicants of the checks I do.

You would be amazed some of the things those 2 checks turn up. A few years back I once had a person in her mid-20's that had something like 5 Unlawful Detainers! I also charge a $10 application fee; every time I have waived the application fee, the applicant was "bad". I know for a fact that knowing I am doing credit checks, criminal background checks, and charging an application fee eliminates a lot of the potential problems.

AH!:eek:


DO THE CHECKS!

I did credit and criminal background checks on this "nice" couple that wanted the rental "so bad. We have the $". Oh my.

The truth came out and the couple soon changed faces. Lots on both the credit AND criminal found.

Now, I gotta write the legal denial letter.

It's so worth it to do the checks on potential renters. "If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is". This day and age, ya gotta CYA.

how are these checks done?? Do you need the tenants SS number or how is it done??


I do agree do the searches

I use a company called Rental Research; don't know if they are local or all over the country. They provide a form for a prospective tenant to fill out (which includes the SS number and DL number) and sign. It's been a while since I have had a vacancy, but I understand it can now all be done online. It only takes them a couple hours at most to get back to me.

I used to call previous landlords until I figured out that they will say almost anything to get rid of a bad tenant. And I won't say anything bad about any tenant I have had because I have heard it's possible to be sued if I do. So I rely soley on the credit check and criminal history check.

I always did a search on the clerk of courts site. It's all public record and shows evictions,criminal cases, law suits, etc... If your area has the site it helps. But there are renters that are pro's at getting around checks. You have to be as slick as they are.