Renting to People with Criminal Records (apartment complex, tenants, credit, renew)

[nitram]

FYI...statistics show over 66% recidivism, meaning at least 66% repeat as felons. I would not take a chance on those odds. Could be costly as well as dangerous.
I'm also curious about your education, since your grammer is not up to par.

[Metlakatla]

AKgirl pretty much said it all.

That said, I'd be willing to work with someone under certain circumstances depending on the crime. If it in any way involved meth or was a capital offense...not a chance though. Same goes for sex offenders. Sorry, but people have every right to protect their investments.

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by military spouse

I work at a prison. No way would I want to rent to a past felon. I wouldn't want their friends around. The recidivism rate is too high and many of these people have no intentions of changing their patterns. That being said, if I got to know an ex-felon and really felt they had changed, I could probably be swayed to make an exception. Generally speaking, not a chance!!!!!!!!!

Well, maybe their friends wouldn't BE around...I've had friends who were "trouble" in the past, and while I never got involved in any of their "activities", I could have been swept up in their net.

I've actually switched jobs and moved so that they couldn't find me again. Likewise, some convicted might have just been hanging out with the wrong crowd and REALLY wanted to make a change in their life.

As the poster said, it depends on the crime. Really. Even a RECENT crime might not matter. A few examples, simple assault or driving on a suspended license, solicitation, trespassing. Those wouldn't bother me. Vandalism WOULD, theft WOULD, drug crimes WOULD.

[Katie1]

I went looking for an apt about 18 months ago in Maryland...there was 1 apt complex that would Not rent to anyone with a record UNLESS it was for DRUGS!! Lets just say I left in a BIG hurry!! Why would I want to live amongset a bunch of drug dealers/users reformed or otherwise!! Now if a landlord had a few in a large complex thats not so bad.....

[pitt_transplant]

I dont think it really matters. There are people doing things of the same nature that just havent been caught yet. But just from personal experience I wouldnt based on:
- I had one steal my packages that had a record for theft -found that out after a cop was pounding on the building door and I talked to the cop about him. This person also was always knocking on my door to try to give me things like coupons etc. I got a bad vibe from them and never let them even see in my door let alone step through it.
- Criminal Behaviour = Irresponsible Behaviour Repeated again and again. So they would be more likely to be fired and not fill lease term, run out, party and damage, or still be social with people that were problems.

I always wondered...Is it legal to refuse rental based on a record of felony?
Is that a state by state case?

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by tomahawk

Wow, the grammar.

Sad, isn't it, Tomahawk?

[daytripper]

You can rent to whomever you please if you are an independent landlord.
When we run background checks , it includes criminal history. No we generally
do not rent to felons. (depends on the severity of the crime)

[Paula Lynn]

If you do a criminal background - you do it on EVERYONE, Don't pick and choose.

[newtoli]

Originally Posted by nitram

FYI...statistics show over 66% recidivism, meaning at least 66% repeat as felons. I would not take a chance on those odds. Could be costly as well as dangerous.
I'm also curious about your education, since your grammer is not up to par.

Probably a HS student (by the way, it's grammar, pet peeve of mine when people criticize it, but don't spell it correctly )

[gentlearts]

No way. Let them go somewhere else. I'm not taking a chance.