hundreds of $ for credit + eviction report? (apartment complex, lease, tenant, rental)

[benc2020]

so i have seen many websites. to get the tenants screening, get a credit report and eviction report would be $30. so if i have like 30 candidates, i would have to pay like almost a thousand $? really?

[Squirl]

the applicant usually pays an application fee that would cover these costs. However, I only offer an application to the person I want to lease to. You don't have to give everyone an application. You should ask screening questions to make sure the people would meet your criteria and then, based on their answers, give the first qualified person an application. You can just take down contact info for subsequent parties that are interested and contact them if your applicant falls thru.

Nothing wrong with just asking about credit, income, employment history, if there has been an eviction, if they will be able to provide good landlord refs. Usually a person who wants to rent from you willingly answers these kinds of questions in person --- or better yet on the phone before you even make the appointment to show the place.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by benc2020

so i have seen many websites. to get the tenants screening, get a credit report and eviction report would be $30. so if i have like 30 candidates, i would have to pay like almost a thousand $? really?

Do you have an apartment complex?

I find the question kind of weird. Any apartment owner will know and have experience how to deal with this.

I know there are people running applications as scams and no place is ever available or they deny almost all of them to make a quick buck and are more focused on the tiny small amounts than on the big picture.

Doing business cost money and $30 may sound like a lot but an eviction cost way more so better pay for getting to know a tenant than to find out later.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by benc2020

so if i have like 30 candidates (someone will) have to pay ... really?

Some PM's use this "screening" as a way to make some extra money.
The most any should really need is a good credit report (at about $20).

Wiser LL's will ask phrase their ads carefully and then ask a few pointed questions
on the phone and by this reduce the flood of vague calls to a trickle of applicants:
the actually qualified and ready to move. Try this approach first.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by benc2020

so i have seen many websites. to get the tenants screening, get a credit report and eviction report would be $30. so if i have like 30 candidates, i would have to pay like almost a thousand $? really?

Probably the majority of landlords charge an application fee. The applicant pays for his own screening.

When I first started, I didn't charge an application fee and every loser in a three county area applied. They figured they didn't stand a chance of getting accepted, but what the heck, it didn't cost them anything to try.

I'd be careful about being selective about handing out applications. My policy is to give one to anyone who asks. You don't want someone coming back later and filing a complaint that you wouldn't give them an application because they have three kids. Even if that wasn't the reason, how are you going to prove it?

Firm policy here that applications are available to everyone who asks for one. I have people read my rental criteria before they get an application and that discourages most of the non-qualified (not all of them, unfortunately). But at that point, it becomes their own decision to not take an application; I am not rejecting them right out of hand.