Now that I have your attention, I need some sex education.

Seriously though, if you have an applicant whose child is born one sex and has changed their name and appearance to represent the opposite sex, how do you screen them?

Their DL has the sex listed as the opposite and the name is of the opposite as well.

It's their life and their preference, I don't care. As long as they don't grab me, then will have a problem. I just don't know how to screen for this, thats all. I am from TN after all.

Would I be able to ask for a copy of their birth certificate or how I should run their name and gender when doing a credit check?

Would this be illegal or offensive?

I don't even know how I would ask, and I am not verifying any other way.

Besides my being a silly rabbit, all aside, it is their life their choice, If they qualify I will rent to them.

I just need to know how to deal with it when verifying.

Vee, can you explain what you mean by following new/old court records?

I was wondering about asking for a birth certificate because I don't have anything but the new name?

Robert J, the gay couple that moved out of my rental a few years ago were nasty slobs.

I would think that if the info provided prevents you from doing the same background check you do for others, then the applicant has a problem, not you.

You can communicate the issue and if they refuse to enable you to obtain the report by providing what is required, well, you've given them the opportunity to provide the needed info and they have refused, their choice.

Sexual Identity is a real concern for some folks.

It really isn't the landlords job to check on THAT plumbing that one either was born with or has had since modified.

It is the Landlords job to screen ALL applicants. This includes folks who may not be certain if they are more feminine than masculine or vice versa. To do that use the same screening tools you have been using. If there is an issue that comes up - say a police record says you were male in 2019, and now you are now female, address in.

We can't assume everyone is a master plumber. Do I think this might be a mental disorder - maybe. But the truth of the matter - there are many awesome residents out there that might have mental disorders. I think there are many Landlords out there that are following the pattern of madness by making a mistake, acknowledging that they are making the mistake - yet continue making that same mistake hoping for a different result. That is insanity.

So would I be concerned? Well if they have paperwork that can clear up the matter that they might have had ahhhhhhhh some elective surgery, and they check out otherwise....why wouldn't you take approve them.

I would just run the credit report using the name on their DL and their SS#. Their financials should come up using that.

My application includes all other names you have ever used.

They should be applying using their legal name, not a nickname.

They are the same person they were at birth. They just changed their name and their personal style.

Running a background check should be the same as anyone.

You don't need to know their "sex" to run a credit check. As small potatoes stated ... run what they provide you.

They KNOW what to provide. In my experience (and most recently I might add) they will give you their legal name(s) and then they will advise you (typically) what they want to be called/referred by. If they have gone through all of the hoops and whatnot to get their names legally changed, then fine. It will all end up still being "them" even with the name changes ... it follows the SS# (you know... AKA ...).

HEre's the one tried and true answer I've found to ALL questions of this nature:

"It is the APPLICANT's duty to provide me all necessary information to screen them."

If the cannot, choose not to, etc, then I deny. Very simple.

A person who has recently "transitioned" and switched name, etc must provide me their former information. If they choose not to, then I will find nothing on their record. No credit, no land lord history, no employment history, el zilcho.

Which means I would deny them just like any other person who has no land lord history, no credit history, no employment history, etc.

Don't make this harder than it is.

Decades ago, a friend changed her vital statistics to match her sex. It took quite a bit of administrative work and time.

Thank you everyone.

6man,

Scrolling thru the subject lines I spotted your posts 'Sex' followed immediately bt 'How much'.

Sorry, I'm not a therapist!

My Dad changed our family name. A legal name change will be supported with a court order.

Me? Ask fir all previous names just like asking for maiden names and nicknames. Just a few minutes of extra time to run additional criminal and sex offender screening. Social Security number is probably the same no matter what they call themselves.

BUT!!!

Be very careful about discrimination. Some people can be very militant about being marginalized by a landlord. Be sure you have a signed written application, document everything. Dot your i's and cross your T's.

BRAD

PS

Be very aware this could very easily be a fair housing professional discrimination tester.

Tred carefully and legally.

Funny Brad.