HELP international student tenants - Landlord Forum thread

HELP international student tenants by Anonymous (CA) on November 13, 2009 @19:37

How do you screen people without a social security number? Who are in the US on a Student Visa???
Please answer ASAP

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Re: HELP international student tenants by Anonymous on November 13, 2009 @20:06	[ Reply ]
There is really not a good way to screen foreign students. Be sure to get a good scan of their passports. They usually make good tenants because they do not want trouble. Orientals, Indians and South Americans are the best. Generally, stay away from both Western and Eastern Europeans.

Re: HELP international student tenants

Re: HELP international student tenants by Anonymous (CA) on November 14, 2009 @12:50

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I also rent to foreign students from time to time. I always ask to see verification of their enrolment such as student card, their passport and visa and, if they have one, local driver's license (some have one). I have had only positive experiences renting to foreign students as they are generally here to study and not to party.

Ignore the previous poster's comments about discriminating based on nationality, that is just nonsense and highly illegal.

Re: HELP international student tenants

Re: HELP international student tenants by Anonymous on November 17, 2009 @12:08

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basically, you don't

My rentals are 100% students, and most of them are foreign students. There is no way to screen them, and no way even to collect from them on a judgement. The only thing you can do is see if they have any evictions or actions against them in your jurisdiction, but if they are coming here for the first time (or just getting out of university residence) there will not be any info on them.

I rent furnished, including heat, hot water, etc, all they do is show up with their clothes. They pay a high rent for this convenience, and also priced into the rent is the fact that every once in a while, one will disappear back to Bangladesh and never be heard from again.

Just part of the cost of doing business, but in general i have had fewer problems with foreign students than with native students. The foreign students are less likely to skip.

Re: HELP international student tenants