Please tell me when do you collect the application fee?

Here were two failed attempts :

1. the applicants filled the appl. and liked the house very much at my house.. they turned in the appl, but did not pay in full , they short $65.

she wrote a note that indicated she owes $65. Then, she refused to give out her financial information/she failed to tell me she had a bankruptcy in her record, and she did not pursue the lease.

So, can I ask her to pay $65.00 she owes? ( I have her handwritten note, and owe $65.)

2. The applicants filled out the applications and liked the house very much at my house, because they wanted to secure a rental before they went back to Katy, so I made the application and the lease together; when I asked him that his girlfriend's did not have all her employer's phone number on the application,

He asked me if they signed the lease, I should not verify any of their references, I said even with the application and the lease signed, the references will be checked.

He took the page and went out to find his girlfriend (she was outside with her two dogs in the car.), then they just drove away without saying goodbye.

Their two dogs already broke the screen on the screen door. I called them and emailed them, asking them to pay $50 for application fee and $50 for repair of the screen.

(of course, no response from them)

So, can I ask them to pay $$100 for the fee and the damages that their dogs caused?

My other neighbor told me that the moment they submitted their application, the fee was collected at the time (it was a property management company)., then the application was approved

, then they viewed the property, then the lease was signed and SD paid, then moved in and paid the first month's rent.

Can I or can I not collect the fees? Both applications already started, e.g. the previous landlord rental history verified.

Thank you.

Sometimes I'll have a conversation with someone over the phone before they show up to an open house, giving them a list of requirements needed when a completed application is presented for review and a background/credit checking.

Sometimes someone will just show up and request an application.

In either case I will have a printed flyer to hand out with some of the requirements.

If someone has complete their application, has bank statements, pay stubs, a drivers license and wants to apply, I ask on the spot for my application fee.

If they person is going to take the application with them and the email it over with the other requested documents. I let them email to me and I'll review it before asking for the fee's. If they stuff looks good, I will have them PayPal, Zell or another method sending me the funds.

In my last apartment one person on Saturday said she would send over all documents by Tuesday. I told her by then I could possible accept someone and by Tuesday they would have signed a lease and given me all of the move in fees.

During our initial conversation (usually on the phone) the application and application fee is clearly discussed. They go hand in hand. Without the application fee, the application is not processed and that is discussed up front. Part of the process..

Thank you for your inputs feedback.

Then, here is the chicken and the egg which go first?

Do you let the applicant view the property first? or Do you require them to fill the application and paid fee first?

>>>>>>>

My question in my initial text was to ask you all:

Do I have a right to go after them to collect the missing application fees and damages from these two failed cases?

I do not have the experience of others on this forum, but I would forget about trying to collect the application fees from those 2 prospects. They are not going to pay you and you are risking getting sued.

Different Landlords have different methods. Some collect the application fee when the app is turned in, and if they do not pay the fee or provide the other necessary information, then you put that app in the pending folder with a note as to why it is pending. Don't spend anymore time on it until they have provided the necessary information. If the fee is not paid, then put it in the pending folder and don't spend any time on it at all, until a fee is paid.

Some Landlords will not even show the house until the application has been filled out and the fee paid, then if they appear to be qualified, they will show the applicants the home.

Other Landlords will show the house to prospects before they fill out an application, however, they usually do a prescreening, either by phone or by email, some with an automated system.

There are many approaches that you can use. As for me, I am trying to learn the best method that works for me and continuing to read on this forum and ask questions.

Keep asking questions and reading here as there are some smart people to learn from here. I wish you well in your learning.

Forget the fees from the last 2 prospects, put there apps in a pending folder with notes as to why they are pending, don't spend anymore time on them, and move on to the next applicant. JMO.

I pre-screen verbally or with email before showing the property. Probably 3/4's of the people that want to see the property don't get a chance to because they don't pass the pre-screening.

If they want an application I email it to them to fill out. When they return the application (email) they send me the application fee via Zelle or venmo or other method. I don't even look at the application without having the fee. To me, it's incomplete unless I get the fee in full. I had someone pay a partial fee once (paid for one applicant and there were two) so I just returned the fee and never processed the application. It's not completed until the whole app fee is paid. Then I look at it and run the cr & bkgd and verify all the documents/employment/references etc.

alice, they expect to pay an application fee when they make application even if they tell you differently. If they don't pay, they aren't serious or ready. Don't go after the two people that didn't pay you. Just learn the lesson for future applicants.

Alice, I do very close to what FLORIDA NATIVE above does. In our state we are supposed to disclose the lease and a few other things, i.e. lead pamphlet. So I send my lease, the disclosure, etc. along with the application and my request for the application fee. That way, they know what they are getting into.

Nothing worse than checking applications out and then finding there is something in the lease that is non negotiable on their end. Has happened to me before and huge waste of my time.

Paying the application fee is part of the screening. If they don't pay, the screening process ends right there and they are rejected. No more time is spent on them.

No, you are not going to collect that unpaid fee nor are you ever going to collect damage for your screen door. Forget about it.

Stop renting to applicants on their time line. The more they rush you the more they are showing you that they are bad tenants. Get your process and follow it. Do not rush.

"They want to rent my house" is not a qualifier. So what. They want to rent the house but they still have to prove that they can pay the rent and they will take care of the house. You try to be nice and all that ever does is to cost you money.

I don't charge an application fee simply b/c my units are in former bedroom communities and now are approx C to C+ at best.

that being said b/c this is militantly pro tenant NYS I will NOT do a showing until the applicant has:

1. passed the automated pre qual form

2. completely filled out an application with uploaded forms.

Just had a go around with someone who wouldn't provide me their SS# without seeing the unit first (there are DOZENS of photos of the unit and the area is pretty well disclosed)

I said "sorry' because of NYS 2019 laws and post covid eviction moratoriums, we will not be able to continue

then she stated she could show me a snapshot of her 745 credit rating (dubious)

I reinforced that those are rules then I asked her (just for fun) has she considered buying instead of renting?

Thanks again for your feedback.

Those 2 failed applicants all filled and turned in their applications after they viewed the house. I just did not collected the fee on time. So, I now can not collect the fee from them? How sad for all my efforts to help those ungrateful people.

By the way, I do use this opportunity/lease to the public to view how other human beings in this society. Unluckily, I have not met a decent one, I still have more than $10,000 outstand debt to collect.

However, I appreciate this forum gave me plenty advises for my troubles. Thanks.