After years of speculating and considering purchasing a property as a rental, I have finally taken the plunge.

I've had a threesome apply (boyfriend-girlfriend + male friend) and I'm wondering how you all would view the results of the screen:

Male friend has a misdemeanor assault for 2009.

Male friend claims to not have email address and I couldn't get authorization for a credit check.

Boyfriend's credit check shows a Detroit power company has sent him to collections for ~$2k. Boyfriend claims he's never lived in Detroit but his previous addresses list three Detroit addresses. Credit score is 530

Girlfriend is clean and has a 615 credit score.

No history of evictions and the boyfriend-girlfriend claim to have lived in their current location (apartment) for 2.5 years.

Combined, the three make roughly $40/hr

This seems to be failing my sniff test, but I'm new at this so I'd love to have some other opinions.

Many thanks!

That's great that you found this forum, and thank you for your post. You might not use any real names, and you can just make up something up when you post in the future.

I would definitely pass on these applicants, and the boyfriend's collection record is a huge red flag. Who doesn't pay the electric company? If he's pulling that with a utility company, I'm guessing that he can't or wouldn't pay his basic bills, including rent.

To come up to speed, you might read through any posts, regarding "screening." Best of luck and please share what happens if you need to bounce off ideas or need support.

Nick, this application has no strength. Quickly reject.

Unstable living arrangement, low income, dangerous behavior, unpaid bills (utilities).

I don't forgive crimes against people or property. Assault = Rejection.

Since you’re in California be extra careful in everything you do. If in doubt seek good advice from another California landlord. As far as your current occupants, pass .

Thanks everyone!

Yes, this is a fake name and CA is not the state I reside in. I'm a bit paranoid when responding or posting on forums!

Nick - good idea to use a fake name, but I'd recommend putting your real state down. State law really varies considerably. I rarely read posts from CA landlords because it's probably THE worst state in which to be a landlord.

In my view, the biggest red flag is this very weird living arrangement. Lots of couples shack up, but don't have a "friend" living with them. He's already got a record. And why couldn't you get authorization for a credit check? He sounds like real bad news all around.

Both boyfriend or girlfriend have lousy credit. I require 700+. If you say you'll rent to just the two of them, the deadbeat friend will still move in, but won't have signed the lease.

Thanks all. This is my very first go-around with placing a tenant. I suppose I need to spend more time pre-screening prior to showings. Lessons learned.

I feel bad for keeping their money. They clearly don't have much money to begin with and I charged them $100 to process the background checks/application.

When you deny applications, do you return the application fees? Do you provide them with reasons for the rejection?

First the living arrangement is a disaster waiting to happen. The friend will either leave, bring in another partner, or sleep with the girlfriend and then it's pure chaos. In that case, I'd not consider anything but month-to-month.

Second, not having an email address in today's world? Impossible. Not consenting to a background check is reason enough to shut it down right there.

Boyfriend with criminal record and collections. And girlfriend has poor credit score.

Congratulations, you found a group of applicants that check almost ALL of your boxes for refusal.

What nobody has mentioned yet is that screening criteria depend on the class of housing you're offering. If this is for a $450/month dump in the hood, I might take them for a double security deposit. For a class A property in a great school district (does anyone here rent those?), you want a credit score of 750+ and great income and job stability.

I'm renting a small 2/1 in a C-class neighborhood. Lots union pride and blue collar workers.

I have over 100 rental apartments and very few tenants that won't pay their rent in a timely manner and very few evictions these days? Why? It's because I'm careful and screen my applicants well. I feel it it better to have a vacant property then to take a chance on people with a bad credit/tenancy history.

The cost per day to keep a unit vacant is around $40. The cost eviction, repairs and lost rent, over $4000. So if it tames me 100 days to find a good tenant, I don't loose anything. But if I can rent an apartment to a good person within a few weeks, I'm ahead of the game.

I’ve read through the IA landlord-tenant law and it seems to be very reasonable for both sides. However, I don’t know how this interprets into reality.

I’ve only rented this situation once. Actually, it began as two roommates. One of the roommates, with our approval, moved in a girlfriend. It broke up in a few short months when he cheated on her with another tenant in the complex. (IIRC, he moved in with that tenant and they lived there for a while.) I don’t recommend the set up as good long term situation.

Additionally, they have a LOT of red flags. We would not rent to them. Unpaid utilities, even as low as $50, is an automatic no. (With the exception of cell phone bills. You see it a lot and it has to do with how cell phone service is structured. - although it could go to money management - hmmmm)

615 is not a great credit score. My question when I see that is to ask why? Because they don’t have credit card debt? Or no mortgage? Those have to be the stupidest reasons to have a low credit score. But if it is multiple cards maxed or being paid late, that’s a no. Student loans and medical collections? Those are maybes.

I think the male friend is hiding something besides the assault charge. And you probably wouldn’t rent to him under any circumstances when you find out what it is.

If it is possible to get the landlord names and contacts for those previous addresses it might be enlightening.

NEXT. There are better candidates out there.

Nick- if you denied them based on a credit report, you are **legally required** to send them an adverse action letter. Look it up on the internet, there's tons of information, and sample letters.

As lots of folk have told you, a credit score under 700 these days is poor. ANYONE who won't provide a social security number will not be approved. If you don't have a social security number and later have to evict them and/or garnish their wages, it will be very difficult if not impossible without their SS number.

Lots of landlords, including me, do not rent to anyone who has anything other than W-2 income. Why? Because their wages can't be garnished. So I won't rent to the self employed and retirees.

You can definitely do better. For that kind of property, I look for the following:

Income 3x monthly rent MINIMUM.

Job stability of 1+ year

Clean or almost-clean court record. I don't want someone who knows the court system better than I and can twist it to their advantage.

They fill out the application COMPLETELY, including emergency contacts. If they don't have a network of family or friends, that's a very very bad sign.

Credit score--meh. It depends. I'm about to rent a very similar property to someone with a credit score of 540. It's low because she only has $1500 in debt and only one credit card. I can handle that.

You can definitely do better. For that kind of property, I look for the following:

Income 3x monthly rent MINIMUM.

Job stability of 1+ year

Clean or almost-clean court record. I don't want someone who knows the court system better than I and can twist it to their advantage.

They fill out the application COMPLETELY, including emergency contacts. If they don't have a network of family or friends, that's a very very bad sign.

Credit score--meh. It depends. I'm about to rent a very similar property to someone with a credit score of 540. It's low because she only has $1500 in debt and only one credit card. I can handle that.

I would pass. The couple + 1 friend doesn't bother me as much as some of the others. It's the collections, low credit and other aspects. I've had the couple +1 friend before and it worked out great. It was a strait out of college graduation thing and all 3 were starting their new jobs. The friend had clean history though. Eventually, the friend moved out and the couple is still with me.

Don't feel guilty about taking their money. Applications fees are non refundable and make sure it states that on your application. It costs you time and hard costs to process it. If they are good prospects, they are just proving it.

"What's the biggest red flag in this scenario?"

If they don't provide a SS#, you cannot run a credit check. If you can't run a credit check, they cannot rent simple. However, if you were living for real in Ca, you might have just discriminated against an (illegal) immigrant. When they leave out the info needed to run a credit check or when they cannot "remember" a landlord or supervisors phone number, those are all red flags because they are either hiding from you or they have an attitude that they are too good to have to give you the truth.

Most trouble comes from greed by going for someone you have doubts about but they have money right now, and laziness where you are tired of sifting through applicants and decide to just take someone despite doubts. We are always our own worst enemy.

Your sniffer is working.

They are hoping you do not check things out. Especially if they know you are new at this.

They are obviously lying and the male friend is hiding a lot.

I would definitely not rent to them.

Others on here with more experience than me will give more detailed advice. You are in a tough state to rent. Make sure you read all of the federal and state and local laws as well.