Choosing tenant/credit check process - Landlord Forum thread 351726

Choosing tenant/credit check process by Jennifer Saks (OR) on April 19, 2017 @02:14

We showed an apartment to a prospective tenant this morning, and after mulling it over we are not inclined to rent to her. We haven't run her credit check yet and haven't made any promises...told her she's on the same level as all the other prospective tenants at this point. My question is, are we obligated to run the credit check at this point? Can we put her off until we've met with more people, and then run them all at the same time? There's nothing glaring (a bankruptcy in 2013, however, but she has a very good income now.)...just a feeling.

[ Reply ] [ Return to forum ]

Re: Choosing tenant/credit check process by Katiekate (New York ) on April 19, 2017 @08:47	[ Reply ]

I really believe those "gut feels" are not to be ignored. That being said....you could easily run afoul of various anti-discrimination laws. I would tell her she is rejected because of the backruptcy and be done with it. Putting her off is really being fair to her. Do not lead her on. Look for another and let this one go.

Re: Choosing tenant/credit check process

Re: Choosing tenant/credit check process by dick on April 19, 2017 @12:15	[ Reply ]

Are you collecting money to do credit checks? If your not running a credit report on the T then and just pocketing the money you are in the wrong. I list on my ad the minimal qualifications are to be a t. They pay 5 bucks for me to run a local court and reference check, that I can do, or anyone with a computer could do. based from the names. If anything comes back that is on my list of qualifications to be a T of mine. Then I tell them if they inquire as I let them know up front it takes 3 days to check this information. Some never call and ask. If they pass and they are still interested. Then they fill out a similar application, and then T pays the 50 dollars to do a nationwide check. It still will need to pass my list of min requirements for the house.

Re: Choosing tenant/credit check process by Anonymous on April 20, 2017 @03:26	[ Reply ]

I strongly subjest you read and understand your states landlord tenant laws. You might be in violation of several statues the way you are going about it which could cost you money down the road somewhere. https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/90.295

Re: Choosing tenant/credit check process by Anonymous on April 25, 2017 @14:40	[ Reply ]

Please do as another poster suggested and read up on the relevant ORS. That will tell you what you need to do to reject a applicant properly, if you can at all. Trying to collect a bunch of applications and pick out the best is most likely to eventually cause you to be trying to defend against a discrimination accusation. It is much safer to process each application in the order you get it and accept the first one that meets your written criteria. Discrimination accusations are nasty in that they assume you did discriminate unfairly unless you can PROVE you didn't. A "feeling", while so often proves to be correct, will be taken as unfair discrimination if there is any protected class the applicant belongs to.