How to handle if chose applicant? - Landlord Forum thread

How to handle if chose applicant? by jannie (IL) on June 22, 2012 @10:42

One applicant looks good - I've been first communicating with parents who agreed to pay rent for one year. Daughter moving to town with college degree, her fiance former military (with like GI bill) completed 2 yrs college now moving to complete final 2 yrs.at the local college. Parents want daughter closer.
One dog mixed breed 20 lbs (which I'm ok with). Wondering how do you handle to make sure that the parents are liable for the rent if the daughter & fiance don't pay?? Or, do I just trust they will? I know of the parents and aware they can afford, but what happens if parents decide they don't want to pay at some point?
They anticipate being there 2 years.

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Re: How to handle if chose applicant? by NY-LL on June 22, 2012 @11:00	[ Reply ]

The parents would be required to be listed on the lease agreement as primary tenants, or at the very least guarantors for the lease agreement. Based in experience, tenants who are unable to afford the rent on their own due to limited work experience or limited rental experience are poor tenants. Tenant beginners may challenge the landlord to justify their new “independence,” and since the tenants are married to one another the landlord deal with, not only their new tenant syndromes, but their new relationship syndromes as well. As most unmarried couples can be unstable during their adjustment to new responsibilities.

Re: How to handle if chose applicant? by Jake on June 22, 2012 @11:04	[ Reply ]

Will the daughter be living alone or with a boyfriend and other room mates? If the parents are from out of the area and especially from out of state it will make any agreements you sign difficult to enforce.

Re: How to handle if chose applicant?

Re: How to handle if chose applicant? by Micah on June 22, 2012 @11:42	[ Reply ]

Just list them as cosigners and have them sign the lease with the other parties.

Re: How to handle if chose applicant? by Anonymous (GA) on June 22, 2012 @11:58	[ Reply ]

Please read my recent threads about our own issues with dogs. Please search "dog" + "bait and switch". We also had no problem approving our tenant's gentle, elderly 20 pound mixed breed when they moved in. I found out the hard way this week that the dog we approved is gone, and was replaced by a 100 vicious Chow that attacked me Monday and has dug a hole through a 2 X 4 in my deck! Despite a requirement in the lease that "any pet be approved by landlord in writing before coming on the property", our tenant decided that if we approved one dog, then any dog must be ok with us going forward. It has not been a fun week. We had to tell two kids that their beloved pet has to go, which in our area and economy means their dog will likely die at the shelter if they can't find another home for it. If I could go back in time, I would take a photo of the dog we approved. I would also insist the tenant show proof of renter's insurance to cover liability if their dog bit anyone, and proof of rabies shots. I didn't sleep well at all the night after the attack wondering if I could get rabies from the big scratches on my leg. Not fun. I also saw a good clause in another lease online which I will use in future leases: "if landlord finds any unauthorized pet on the property (during an inspection for instance), landlord has the right to call animal control immediately and have the animal removed". K

Re: How to handle if chose applicant?

To K (anon in GA)

Re: To K (anon in GA)