Have you ever had a rental applicant who overshared with you right off the bat? Maybe they wanted to tell you a story about how unreasonable their last landlord was or about that time they got caught up in something that definitely wasn’t their fault. You might hear about a “crazy” ex-partner or a misunderstanding with another tenant or a shady property manager who stole from them and then kicked them out. There are any number of tales you could hear from your potential tenants and quite a few of them should raise a great big red flag.
When your rental applicant insist on sharing stories that seem to indicate trouble in their past, they’re most likely doing so to set the stage. What that means is that they know that you’re running a screening and will spot something you might not like, so they’re trying to get ahead of the situation and give you their side of the story first so that you don’t set them aside immediately. This is a totally understandable reaction – someone seeking housing is going to do whatever they can to better their odds, and it’s human nature to try to make ourselves look good. Often, this is exactly what the applicant is trying to do – make themselves look better in your eyes before you see their screening report.
This is where your landlord instincts need to come in to play.
You should, of course, always check your screening reports before making any decisions. Depending on the laws in your area, you can run:
- Background checks
- Criminal history
- Eviction history
- Credit reports
- And more
Many cities allow criminal history to play a part in your decision, so consider the stories you heard from your applicant and apply them to what the report tells you. If someone claims they were “caught up” in something against their will but the criminal history report indicates that they were convicted for drug possession, that’s worth serious consideration. If they mentioned having issues with a previous landlord and there’s an eviction on their record, you might consider following up with previous landlords to get the full story.
As always, it’s admirable to want to give applicants the benefit of the doubt, and if your gut tells you that the person’s story rings true, it’s okay to listen. On rare occasions, things just don’t go someone’s way. If the rest of their background and records indicate that they’re perfectly fine to work with, then you should consider that. Ultimately, screening services are a tool to help you make the best and most informed decision. Use the information you have available to you and trust your instincts.
For help in selecting the right tenants for your properties, we recommend our RentalConnect program. RentalConnect offers property owners and landlords a great alternative to the expense of full tenant screening. This service requires no on-site visit, sign-up, or membership fees, making it extra convenient. The service fee is paid by the applicant. Available 24/7, RentalConnect is fast, easy, secure, and delivers reports needed to make an informed decision, including a credit report, a national criminal search, and a national eviction search.
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