This is a new one for me. I live near 2 major universities. My rental population are usually single undergraduate students. Recently however I have had several inquiries from foreign PhD and graduate students looking for housing.

My places are furnished so it makes it really easy for someone to move in. I recently had someone coming from the Ivory Coast with a Fulbright scholarship to the large university here. He checked out well and I was going to accept him. This is a four bedroom apartment and he was going to rent one of the furnished rooms.

When I received his financial verification form, it stated there was a wife and a child on the form. I asked him about this and he said that yes they would be coming within a short time. I told him no, that would not work I can’t have three people in a small room in a 4 bedroom apartment with other students. I mentioned it was against fire codes as well. He then said he would rent the other room, as there was another vacant room left. I told him that he did not disclose this information to me and having a family in a four bedroom apartment with two to three other students would not be an ideal situation.

I then gave him the name and number of a couple of other landlords that I know that might be able to help him out.

I received another application from a nice young man from Vietnam who is doing an internship here in town. Everything checked out well but I noticed he was wearing a wedding ring and he mentioned that he wasn’t married that he was engaged. I asked him if his fiancé would be moving here and he said probably, within 3 to 4 months. Again, no disclosure and a couple in a small bedroom with a twin bed and three other students. I’m just wondering if this is a cultural thing? I don’t think they really understood that the room was only to be rented by them. They seemed to assume that it was perfectly fine to have their significant others just show up when it was convenient. Anybody ever experienced anything like that?

Both checked out well but I think the baby would’ve been a problem. It would’ve been nice to know about this ahead of time.

Cultural? I don't think so. I think they are deliberately trying to hustle you. Once the other people show up they will go on welfare and actually make money by living there. Likely the other roomers will move out and no one else will want to move in to a situation like that so the place will then be all theirs for the price of one room. Then they will move MANY more of their "relatives" in who will all get welfare, free food, free money, free medical and more.Then if you try to get them out they will scream all those now popular words and treat you as the bad person. The courts may well agree with them and allow them to live for free in your home for years.

I think you are right to say no. ESPECIALLY when they attempt to deceive you right in the beginning.

Jim , how do you distinguish undisclosed information and accidental omission? You don't give them a chance to remedy?

If someone is married and they say their spouse will continue living out of state, do you not believe them?

What about if someone tells you the person that accompanied them is their significant other but has their own place?

Yes in some cultures, it is the norm to crowd all your relatives into a small space. By their standards, Americans live large and luxurious.

Jo,

The reason he was not accepted by you was false information on the application. It is false info and being caught and then revealing it after being caught does not fix it.

It had nothing to do with familial status.

Repeat that over and over and do not forget it.

There are lawsuit-seeking con artists out there looking for their next victim. Don't let it be you.

Dino yes you’re correct, he did not put down his family on the application. I can’t imagine him renting the small room and then having them show up at some point!

As I mentioned, I haven’t run into this before. The ad clearly states no couples.

I’m just moving on. I cannot have this type of conflict.

Obviously, you can't accept him.

On my application there is a place to list the names of everyone who will be living in the rental. Do you have that on your application? Maybe have "list everyone who will be living in the rental during the entire term of the lease".

And in big letters "only the persons listed may live there"

That will take care of any cultural misunderstanding. It doesn't stop the liars, but maybe a few if them will go away and try for an easier mark.

Oregon Woodsmoke, but the issue is, what do you do if you call them out on it , and they say its a misunderstanding and just resubmit a revised application with the additional info?

In my lease it asks how many people will be living there and since it’s a four bedroom apartment it should only be four people. People do not give you the information that you need and you have to find this out unfortunately on your own.

Had a migrant roofing crew of 6 working a commercial building .... GC tells me they all stay in ONE hotel room each night.