REJECTING AN APPLICATION : ezLandlordForms

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Lori C

started a topic over 15 years ago

I have a young man who rents my house and his girlfriend wants to move in with him. I have talked with them briefly (only minutes) about her moving in. I told him and his father who is named on the present lease with the young man because he isnt able to afford the house alone (i rented to them as a personal favor to a friend-the father) and his father pays all utilities and half the rent that i would need applications from both the young man and the girlfriend before i could enter into the lease. The girlfriend has already made issue about not enough hot water to take a shower and that she doesnt want me to have a key to the property and her mother doesnt want her to sign a lease just in case she wants to leave at any time. What could i use as possible rejections for their applications. i just feel that they wont be able to afford the rent and utilities because the father will no longer be on the lease and thatshe is going to be a problem once i let her in.

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Ralph F

said over 15 years ago

Tell them that you don't feel comfortable with their income level (and possibly their credit, if you know it), and that you'll be leasing to a tenant who is more qualified. Make sure you collect a variety of rental applications, and be sure to run background checks on them.

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Eric D

said over 15 years ago

You have the right to reject the application based on income and credit profiles - Brian is right that you are in the right to tell them that you don't feel comfortable with their income levels. The girlfriends mother also seems to have reservations and maybe a bit of sway on the girlfriend, in my mind that's another red flag. Plus, if the father and son have been decent tenants and the father would move out if the girlfriend moves in - more reason to not rock the boat and keep the son/father combination (plus it sounds like it will be less stressful).

If the father is moving out anyways, you may need to just deny their application and place the apartment on the market to see what you can get. Doing it sooner is better than doing it later and that will make you and the girlfriends mother happier about not having signed the lease.

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Peter W

said over 1 year ago

I have an applicant whose wife is extremely picky on cleanliness. She opened the oven drawer near the floor and looked at the oven legs and said they are dirty. I touched it with my fingers; some stain but most dust. Oven is 1 yr old. 2nd reason is that last 2 places they stayed, they only stayed 12 months each. I want long term tenant. Can I reject them when I don't have another applicant right now?

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Peter W

said over 1 year ago

Hello, I want to reject an application due to his wife's extreme cleanliness (she opened the oven drawer near the floor and said the oven legs are dirty). I touched it and mostly it is dust and some stain that I have to use the proper cleaning supplies besides my fingers. Also, at the last 2 places, they only stayed 12 months at each place. I want long term tenant and not too picky tenant. Is this OK to reject in CA?

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Willson D

said about 1 month ago

Split the two reasons. Being picky at a showing isn't a screening criterion, so don't deny on that - it can look like a pretext. Two 12-month stays is a legitimate, documented reason, but only if it's in your written screening standards and you apply them the same way to every applicant.

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Willson D

said about 1 month ago

Peter, your gut is probably right, but put the reason on paper, not in your gut. You can decline an applicant even with no backup lined up. The catch is that too picky is subjective, and subjective rejections invite fair housing complaints. Use written screening criteria for everyone, income, credit, rental history, evictions, and decline on those. Two 12-month stays counts under rental history if it is in your written criteria. Document the objective reason and leave the oven drawer out of it.