Potential applicant sent in an email asking if he should both to apply after reading our application becasue he is a felon. We asked what the charges were, they said possession of drugs, sell of drugs and eluding police and that hey had not been arrested for 3 years. I ran a quick internet search and discovered that they were a Felon 3 years ago when they were arrested multiple times over a few months for dealing heroin and meth. It was during covid so they just kept citing them to appear and then the police would learn they were dealing again and raid their house again and find the drugs, sales records, weapons etc. One time they found a 3 year old in the house and took it into protective custody. I also found out the man had not been arrested in 3 years becasue he was sitting in prison, for at least the second time and had only been out of prison for 7 months, much of that time was spent in a rehab.

Don't contact him. Let him get back to you. Over the phone you state that the application has been denied. He will ask why. You state that you do not discuss these matters over the phone. Tell him to put in writing to you a request for denial and an enclosed self addressed and stamped envelope to be mailed to your P.O. Box. You will send a response within ten days of receiving their letter.

You will never get that letter.

I would accept them, but only after 10 years after being out of jail. I would encourage them apply at that point.

I do not believe Oregon has taken the plunge to make felons a protected class so you can legally deny them. My criteria excludes drug dealers, evading police, and child endangerment. I would consider candidates with simple drug possession after 5 years.

"how do I tell them"

First:

It's good your communication has been by email, rather than phone.

Second:

What do your written qualification criteria say? The Criteria you wrote down & dated before advertising it for rent. Follow your pre-determined screening standards.

If you skipped that step, do it now - before anyone else contacts you.

Personally, I have a question in my pre-screening questionnaire that asks if hey have ever been convicted of a violent or drug-related crime. A "yes" disqualifies them.

He's a repeat offender of a very serious nature. Don't be his "test victim".

Since you have already communicated by email, I would send him ONE email message saying that his application would not be able to be approved at this time, based on information he told you.

If, for meth specifically, I wonder.........

Could there be a "meth deposit" to cover the cost of remediation should meth be rediscovered on the property as a result of arrest or discovery by landlord?

If a landlord follows the letter of the law with respect to meth remediation; this is a very expensive undertaking.

I know one contractor personally that worked on a meth house remediation.

I think maybe insurance covered it? Not sure now, but they spent more money than it should have cost to build a new home.

He was happy. His workers were both ex users and didn't care. Man did they have a lot of expensive hoops to jump thru tho, even in this state.