How to reject an applicant if I do not like him?

How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by SingleMomm (North Carolina) on July 10, 2012 @14:12

First of all, this has nothing to do with discrimination.. I am sure that the applicant has good credit and income (senior position in a large company), but i just do not like him, aggressive, demanding, assuming, and condescending...

So do I have to give him the application form since he asked for it? Once he has applied, can I legally reject him? how?

thanks.

[ Reply ] [ Return to forum ]

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by Franklin (TN) on July 10, 2012 @14:27	[ Reply ]

First off, the assumption that he must have good credit because he's a senior position in a large company is erroneous. A lot of these hot shots spend way above their means and are in deep financial trouble. If he's that well set, he'd buy his own house and not rent. Is this a complex or just a SFH you own? If it's just your place, I'm pretty sure you can not give him application. Make up some story. It's rented? It won't be ready until December now? You get the drift. If he's not black, he won't have a race card to play and he'll move on. If he is black, you'll have issues trying to get rid of him.

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him?

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by Jake on July 10, 2012 @14:40	[ Reply ]

You can always find something wrong with the application if you examine it closely enough. The credit score requirement can be whatever you set it at. Then you look at rental experience. Get every place he has lived for the last three years. Why is he moving? How long has he been at his current employment and what is his real position? You are right not to like this applicant. Under no circumstances should you accept him. If he presses you for a reason why you are not renting to him you may say you are processing some applicants ahead of him. The least communication you have with this applicant the better.

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by NY-LL on July 10, 2012 @15:10	[ Reply ]

Confirm that the potential applicant meets all of the landlord’s rental requirements. If not, this would be the grounds for rejecting the application. The fact that the landlord believes the tenant is “aggressive, demanding, assuming, and condescending” likely means the prospective tenant has been overly critical of the premises or the lease agreement. We have been known to advise tenants that the premises do not meet their standards because of their demands to paint, remove bedroom carpeting, or desire for stainless steel kitchen appliances, in an otherwise spacious property in a quiet community.

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by Anonymous on July 10, 2012 @16:01	[ Reply ]

If he truly is how you say he is, then he will probably not want to fill out an application properly, leaving items blank, insisting that you use the credit report him or his agent provide and not one you pull up on your own. Any one of these reasons can be a reason to "fail" him. You can legally reject him because of poor credit score, poor debit to income ratio, etc. Maybe he has a pet and you don't want that. Maybe he smokes. Maybe the previous landlords wont check out. Heck, he may not even turn in the application. Many prospective tenants want an app and tell you they like the place but never turn anything in. Take your time with reviewing everything.

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by MrDan (Georgia) on July 10, 2012 @16:26	[ Reply ]

You can legally discriminate, because 'aggressive, demanding, assuming, and condescending...' is not a protective class. You can turn him down because of his aggressive demenor and behavoir, as you would turn down all others that show to be aggressive, demanding, assuming, and condescending... You could turn him down because he wore blue socks as long as you turned down everyone because they wore blue socks. You could turn him down becaused he smokes as long as you turned down everyone because they smoke. You could turn him down because he is bald as long as you turn down everyone who is bald. The point is, as long as it is part of your rental criteria and does not violate any discrimination laws against a protected class, then you can turn him down because he is aggressive, demanding, assuming, and condescending... and you would turn down anyone who is also. If pressed for a reason, just reply you did not approve of his demenor and behavoir and that is part of your rental criteria that you apply to all applicants. You owe no one any details. So feel free to turn him down because you do not rent to anyone who is aggressive, demanding, assuming, and condescending... that is part of your rental criteria.

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him?

Re: How to reject an applicant if I do not like him? by Douglas (KS) on July 11, 2012 @00:00	[ Reply ]

I don't see what you are worried about. You keep records of prospects. In his, you note what you said. You are not responsible to rent to people with personality problems. It does not matter whether it is a minority or anything else. The law talks about protected classes. As someone said above, this is not a protected class. If someone threatened you, would you rent to them? Of course not. Same for personality problems. You are allowed to screen against people who make you uncomfortable (as long as not for reasons of protected class).