I’ve had a vacancy for almost 3 months. I’ve had over 400 inquiries, but am getting only my usual 1% who pre screen well enough to schedule a showing. A little better really- I’ve shown it 6 times. Half of them lied on the prescreening and didn’t qualify. Two decided it was much too big and 1 was definitely a housing tester. I would sell this one, but it’s inseparable to a well paying property on the same lot. So it’s not not a hardship to leave empty...right now. I don’t have to heat it yet. The main reason most don’t qualify is credit score. We require at least 700. It’s a blessing and a curse. All the nightmare applicants we’ve been able to decline were based on that. I have not yet had a great applicant who I had to decline because of it. Anyway, when only 1% qualify for a showing, 99% do not. Some of them get bats**t crazy over it. There is no way I could show it to everyone ( or even half) and there is no reason to when they don’t qualify. Now I have several of them requesting ( actually demanding) applications so that they can “ start the process”. I know from their prescreening that they do not qualify, they have not seen the home and they don’t even know the address. To screen them and run the credit report , to properly deny them, costs me $50.00 per applicant. Right now I’ve got 1/2 dozen plus their spouses, roommates, etc. requesting applications. It would cost me several thousand dollars to honor their requests ( demands). If I run applications for even half of the inquiries it would be over $10,000.00. I can’t charge the applicant so that is not an option. Zillow’s application is not not sufficient. I have a separate phone and email for rentals so maybe I will just ignore them until they go away and hope my unicorn comes along.

You are par for the course. It is nothing for me to hit 400 inquiries to one approved tenant. I think we are at the Apex of manifested entitlement.

The people who apply have no business buying a car off a buy here pay here car lot let alone renting a fully remodeled house.

Oh, that's right! Massachusetts doesn't allow an application fee, correct? What a bunch of BS that is. I don't know what I would do. I would most likely look at two years on the job and 2 positive landlord references before I spent any money on a credit check.

That might be all you can do, up your requirements on the stuff that is free first to cut down on the expense to you.

I was going to say that you could take there money and let them fill out an app but then you said that you couldn't charge them.

Do you have a screening criteria posted that they see?

Could you not just tell them that they did not pass your prescreening qualifications?

Could you not take there applications and then deny based on your criteria?

Can you not just do the other screening first before paying for credit checks?

Maybe I am missing something.

But if you require them to use a screening service like smartmove. And they charge 40.00

That would be the same as you charging 40.00 for screening.

I would call the online third party application an fee for expedited service.

It would be free for me to review the application which part one of the process........part two will cost you $20 which is the credit check

I wouldn't be charging for application processing - just credit\

Do you need a third party that allows the tenant to pay?

What about the option of a "mass showing"? Tell every person....

"the unit will be open for showing and applications this Thursday at 2 pm. If that time is not convenient for you, call back in 2 weeks and we will notify you of the next showing if the unit is not rented. Please do not be late, as we will only stay at the property until 2:10 if no one arrives."

The reason that you are getting over 400 inquiries is because you are not allowed to charge an application fee. Every loser can apply because it costs them nothing.

The application fee is a screening tool. People with no chance won't apply because they can't afford to lose their $40 per person application fee. If there is nothing to lose, they apply and hope you won't notice that they are bad tenants.

I base my price not only on the market rate, but upon the number of highly qualified applicants I get. You aren't getting qualified applicants and that indicates to me that they can rent elsewhere for less rent. I suggest that you lower your rent a bit. Sometimes $25 is all it takes.

Yes for sure check the "application fee" portion. It may just be wording. In NY we can not charge and application FEE however, we are able to charge a credit/background FEE (although it cannot be more than $20 per person).

I never did charge an "application fee" (to just hand it in) - I just called it that because it was "easier" but in reality, it was for the credit/background checks so for me I just changed the wording to reflect that (along with the cost).

That all being said you may want to check into it more and see if you can charge for credit/background checks. There may be a limit. Also - in NYS it never stated that WE couldn't conduct one that cost more than $20 - it only stated we can only charge the prospective tenant $20 ...

Every tenant has a nice smart phone and they can all show you their credit score on their smart phone screen. Not that that is any help to you, OP, because you don't meet in person, but it might be useful to someone else.