 Possible Red Flag (by Shaun [FL]) May 24, 2019 9:09 AM
 Possible Red Flag (by AllyM [NJ]) May 24, 2019 9:24 AM
Possible Red Flag (by S i d [MO]) May 24, 2019 9:34 AM
Possible Red Flag (by Jan [MO]) May 24, 2019 10:29 AM
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Possible Red Flag (by J [FL]) May 24, 2019 10:56 AM
Possible Red Flag (by Shaun [FL]) May 24, 2019 12:00 PM
Possible Red Flag (by S i d [MO]) May 24, 2019 12:12 PM
Possible Red Flag (by Oregonwoodsmoke [ID]) May 25, 2019 10:49 AM
Possible Red Flag (by Vee [OH]) May 25, 2019 6:06 PM
Possible Red Flag (by RentsDue [MA]) May 26, 2019 4:03 PM
Possible Red Flag (by Shaun [FL]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 9:09 AM
Message:
My pre-screening questionnaire has 10 questions.
#9 asks if their current LL would give them a good reference.
Got one this week answered "unknown".
The typical answers are "Yes" or "yes, I pay my rent on time" or "I think so, I pay rent on time". Even got one "He should, I pay early every month".
There are other 'red flags',
-"unknown" credit score. Usually means credit score not important to them. Most people have an idea about what their FICO rating is.
-Need to move asap.
-Did not speak well of current LL.
-5 people in a 2/2. 2nd bedroom and closet not large enough for 3, in my opinion.
What is your opinion? LL reference "unknown" --205.223.xxx.xx |
Possible Red Flag (by AllyM [NJ]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 9:24 AM
Message:
Maybe a landlord who doesn't communicate with tenants. Or someone that is hard to read or doesn't talk much. By the way, when a landlord gives a good reference sometimes it's because they want to get rid of the tenant. So the word unknown may be better than a positive rating. --173.61.xxx.xx |
Possible Red Flag (by S i d [MO]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 9:34 AM
Message:
Not an immediate red flag to say "unknown" but certainly not useful to you.
Consider re-framing the question though to get a more useful answer. For example, instead of asking a question with a Yes, No, or Unknown answer try:
"If you have rented or are currently renting before, we will contact your current and past land lords to obtain rental references. What will your land lord(s) tell us about you?"
That is more open-ended and may make them respond in more detail...or not. Some folks just don't "get it" and think hiding behind a one or two word vague answer is better. --173.20.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by Jan [MO]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:29 AM
Message:
We have no idea what someone else will say. Many people will jump to the conclusion that what you're really asking/wanting to know is "What kind of reference do you think your landlord will give you?" and answer accordingly. But some careful people won't jump to that conclusion. Answering "unknown" to your question in my view is not a red flag, it's actually a good answer. I agree with Sid but would say "What do you think your landlord will tell us" instead of "What will your landlord tell us". --144.191.xxx.x |
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Message:
I've never given a good reference to get rid of a tenant. I just get rid of them. --172.58.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Message:
I've never given a good reference to get rid of a tenant. I just get rid of them. --172.58.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Message:
I've never given a good reference to get rid of a tenant. I just get rid of them. --172.58.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Message:
I've never given a good reference to get rid of a tenant. I just get rid of them. --172.58.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by GKARL [PA]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:52 AM
Message:
I've never given a good reference to get rid of a tenant. I just get rid of them. --172.58.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by J [FL]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 10:56 AM
Message:
Hi Shaun!
I agree with what Jan(MO) said...if you ask them questions where the answer is by nature subjective, you get unpredictable answers, but it doesn't mean the tenant is bad, necessarily. Maybe be best to stick with black and white questions like "how many pets do you have". --72.188.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by Shaun [FL]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 12:00 PM
Message:
Thanks for the input...
My question does asked, What do you think....
My fault. Second period was about to start. --205.223.xxx.xx |
Possible Red Flag (by S i d [MO]) Posted on: May 24, 2019 12:12 PM
Message:
Careful on asking about pets. ESAs and service animals are not pets, so you may end up surprised like I was one day when I showed up at the house to sign a lease and the gal handed me her ESA letter....
You want to ask, "How many ANIMALS?" --173.20.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by Oregonwoodsmoke [ID]) Posted on: May 25, 2019 10:49 AM
Message:
My high end, home owner. tenants know what their credit score is, or at least have a close idea. They know how credit works.
Many tenants do not. They don't know what their score is or how they got it. I've had applicants who thought they had bad credit because they were late with one cell phone payment and tenants who had horrible credit who thought their credit was OK.
On the tenant forums it is very clear that a lot of tenants are mystified by the credit scoring process.
I don't think that an "unknown" on the credit score is any sort of red flag at all. --98.146.xxx.xxx |
Possible Red Flag (by Vee [OH]) Posted on: May 25, 2019 6:06 PM
Message:
Just charge them 40bux to get the answers to the -rest of the story- as the late Paul Harvey would say, if you are relying on tenant provided info you might as well take the locks off the doors and use the honor system, the locks is the only change you are making to current policy. --76.188.xxx.xx |
Possible Red Flag (by RentsDue [MA]) Posted on: May 26, 2019 4:03 PM
Message:
Not a red flag. I had one that said “unknown”. Turns out that he didn’t know who the actual LL was. He was subletting. --71.10.xxx.xxx |
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