I won't go into all the details, it would take a novel...but here is what happened recently to me...

Tenants got divorced, one moved out. The other wants to stay but can't afford it, so they want their cousin to move in. They ask us if he can replace former husband on the lease, we say "both people staying submit applications", so they do.

Current tenant looks ok, but barely enough income and with the divorce we are concerned. But the cousin...WOW.

1) On work release wearing ankle bracelet. a) Possession with intent to sell a narcotic b) Evading police in a motor vehicle c) Driving while having a lifetime suspension of his license

2) Works for a construction company, but has no pay stubs since he "just started". Provides a handwritten note from the company owner stating that he makes $18/hour and works 50 hours/week. Note has owner's name at the end and then right below it the owner signs the note and says to contact him with any questions.

3) I email him and ask why he didn't provide driver's license, he says he doesn't have one, lifetime suspension.

(the above was enough for us to deny, but I wanted to be thorough LOL)

4) First thing I do is look up the company on the web...it exists. It shows the owner's name, but it's spelled differently by one letter than the name on the handwritten note...suspicious. I call the number, get the boss on the phone, ask a few basic questions....but he says he's paying him $15/hour (I didn't tell him the applicant said $18). I then asked if he was paying the guy in a way I could get paystubs...he said "no, I'll 1099 him at the end of year". I then said "Would you at least be willing to write a letter stating how much he makes and how much he works?" He said yes. (If he would have written the letter that the applicant gave me, he would have said "I already did that"). Then I asked how he spelled his last name, and he responded one letter different than was on the hand-written letter LOL.

SO this tenant falsified a document LOL.

I wonder if he'll send a SASE to find out the reason for non-approval, which we require lol.

Then, as a bonus, we get an unsolicited email from someone stating "don't rent to this guy, I'm a friend of the family and he's back to his old ways, and you'll regret it". LOL I certainly won't tell anyone I got that email...just funny though.

You can't make this stuff up.

I enjoyed reading your experiences with this character and it brought so many memories from previous folks who attempted to rent from me.

1. Had a couple who claimed they worked at the same place provide work stubs. Each showed they make EXACTLY the same wages, worked EXACTLY the same number of hours and took EXACTLY the same number of hours off for sick leave in the two week period. Closer examination of the guys pay stub showed where her name had been carefully whited out and his typed in place.

2. Had a couple come and look and wanted to fill out the application right then and there. I usually suggest they take it home and spend a little time filling it out and gathering work stubs. Oh no; must be done immediately. Not only did they make up social security numbers off the top of their head (for both) the woman figured she'd get "extra points" by continually telling me I looked great for my age. About the third time she said this I said "this isn't helping you get the rental you know".

3. Had a guy and his girlfriend view a property and bring back an application, proof of income and the screening fee. First thing I typically do is check for dispossessory filings/evictions through our online Marshal Service. The guy had six single spaced pages of dispossessory filings and evictions. SIX PAGES! When I declined them based on his history it didn't seem to bother him one bit. He came back with his "offer" to "double the security deposit".

Agree, with the others about giving current tenant 30 day notice to move. I think you already know this. Great