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Screening Tenants Effectively

A consistent, fair, and documented screening process prevents evictions, protects your asset, and keeps good residents longer.

Fair-housing first (policy & training)

• Publish neutral written criteria; apply consistently to every applicant.
• Focus on objective data (income, history, references)—not gut feel.
• Document reasons for decisions; retain records securely.
• Follow all federal/state/local rules; adjust criteria where required.

General information, not legal advice. Regulations evolve; we maintain compliant templates and workflows for Washington and local rules.

Our screening flow (end-to-end)

1. Pre-screen — Requirements in the listing; auto-reply with criteria & FAQs.
2. Application — Identity, income, rental history, background authorization.
3. Verification — ID & fraud checks, income proof, employment, landlord references.
4. Background & credit — Bureau data, public records, eviction history (as permitted).
5. Score — Rubric assigns points → Approve / Approve w/ Conditions / Deny.
6. Adverse action — If denied or conditioned, proper notices with reasons.
7. Lease & move-in — Deposits/fees set by risk tier; onboarding to portal & maintenance.

Minimum requirements (example)

• Income ≥ 3.0× monthly rent (combined if multiple adults).
• No open bankruptcies; no unpaid landlord judgments.
• Verifiable rental history ≥ 12 months; no material lease violations.
• Criminal screening per local law; individualized assessment where required.

Scoring rubric (sample)

Weights and cutoffs are examples; we tailor by asset class, rent, and local compliance.

Verification & fraud checks

• Identity: ID name/DOB/address match; photo match to applicant (if permitted).
• Document forensics: metadata/fonts/edits; compare pay stubs to bank activity (where allowed).
• Employment: HR verification or third-party payroll letter; cross-check start date and title.
• Consistency: IP/location of application vs. stated addresses (when available).

Income verification options

• W-2 / Pay stubs (last 2–3) with YTD totals.
• Bank statements (2–3 months) showing recurring deposits.
• Offer letters (start date + comp) or 1099/contractor agreements.
• Benefit letters (SSA/VA/pension) with proof of deposits.

Landlord references & rental history

• Call prior landlords (verify contact is legitimate, not a friend). Ask about payment timeliness, care of property, violations, and notice given.
• Cross-check addresses and dates with credit bureau data and ID.

Background checks (as permitted)

• Credit, eviction, and criminal screens must follow applicable laws; perform individualized assessment where required.
• Use only compliant reporting sources; provide required disclosures and rights notices.

Pets & assistive animals

• Pet screening: breed/weight rules, vaccines, photos; pet rent/deposit per policy.
• Assistive animals are not pets; handle per fair-housing rules with proper documentation.

Decisioning & conditions

• Approve: standard deposit and terms.
• Approve w/ Conditions: higher deposit, qualified co-signer, or limited pre-paid rent (where allowed).
• Deny: send adverse-action notice with specific permissible reasons.

Timelines & SLAs

• Application completeness check: same business day.
• Employment & landlord verifications: within 24–48 hours.
• Full decision (typical): 1–3 business days after complete docs.

Owner risk controls

• Risk-based deposits within legal caps.
• Co-signer policy for marginal scores (where permitted).
• Renter’s insurance proof prior to keys.
• Move-in condition report (photos/video) signed by resident.