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This is a new one for me. I'm getting on waiting lists for subsidized senior apartments where I used to live. Normally, what these places ask for, is a filled out application, like any normal application to rent an apartment - income, references, previous landlords, etc. They will also often include their criteria in the application packet, just as information. They check to see if you would meet their basic requirements (age, income, etc.). Then, when there is a unit available, they'll call to see if you are still interested, and then you do the application process with credit/criminal checks and they verify references, income, etc.
I just did the above for a place about a week ago. Today, I received a letter from them saying they've changed their wait list procedures, and they are now requiring people to come into their office (they gave me an appointment time), bring ID and Social Security card, fill out and sign permission forms for the credit and criminal checks, and give them a money order or cashier's check for $33 (below the state maximum allowed) for the checks.
Their waiting list is a year long.
I hate to get a hard hit on my credit report, as I'm trying to get my score up for when these places actually start calling me in 6 months to a year.
Plus, this place is 7 hours away - without stops - by car. Which would also mean a hotel room and gas.
I called and got the leasing agent (manager was not available) and she will ask the manager if they can at least waive the requirement for me to go down there in person. I asked if I can just fax photocopies of my ID and SS card and mail the check, and they can mail me the forms to sign, etc.
But, then I got to wondering if this is even legal. Sure seems weird. Has anyone else ever heard of such a screening process just to be put on a waiting list? Plus, won't they want to do the checks again when they actually have an apartment for me to move into?
And by the way, this is a very desirable area. The kind of neighborhood with a Trader Joes and Costco and fancy community/senior center. Very upscale. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I can't help wondering if they're trying to discourage me because I have a Section 8 voucher. I have read their criteria, which they sent me with the original application, and I meet their criteria. Unless they change that on me, too.
I just emailed legal services and my local housing authority asking if this is even legal. Hopefully, one of them will get back to me tomorrow.
But, then, of course, there's the issue of not wanting to seem uncooperative. Ugh!
I am not sure, but I just want to lament with you- how much I hate hard hits on my credit. AND how careful you have to be - I had "hard hits" on my credit (two in the last year) that I was not even aware they were doing so. One was when I called a Cable company - I was just calling to inquire of deals. I talked for quite a while with the sales guy, but I didn't know that they were actually going to run my credit - because I wasn't for sure if I wanted to get cable yet (I didn't!)
I am not sure, but I just want to lament with you- how much I hate hard hits on my credit. AND how careful you have to be - I had "hard hits" on my credit (two in the last year) that I was not even aware they were doing so. One was when I called a Cable company - I was just calling to inquire of deals. I talked for quite a while with the sales guy, but I didn't know that they were actually going to run my credit - because I wasn't for sure if I wanted to get cable yet (I didn't!)
Grrr! They shouldn't have run your credit without your permission. I'm working on paying down my credit card debt, so my score will come up. It's acceptable now for most subsidized places, but I don't want to give them any reason to turn me down. It's about 680 right now. It was about 720 before I used the credit cards to buy my truck and do repairs to it. I know I can get it up higher than that in about 6 months. Not sure how much a hard hit would affect it, but I just hate to take the hit just to get on a waiting list. Seems ridiculous.
I mean, so they run everything now and say okay. Anything could happen in the next year.
OH, I can relate. Myself, I also have CC debt. In the painful "paying it off" stage once again. It all started with a car repair. I need a car to get to work so I can make money, so I had to repair car (of course).
They do that here WV They even have you fingerprinted for Police Checks. $10 for both of us 10 years ago. then we got on the wait list then had to do it all over when our names came up for an apt. But no matter how often we changed apts ..went from HUD to Section 8 we [so far] haven't had to do it again. Actually our cr was Zero! Right now IF they run it my score 720!! Son still Zero no income!
They do that here WV They even have you fingerprinted for Police Checks. $10 for both of us 10 years ago. then we got on the wait list then had to do it all over when our names came up for an apt. But no matter how often we changed apts ..went from HUD to Section 8 we [so far] haven't had to do it again. Actually our cr was Zero! Right now IF they run it my score 720!! Son still Zero no income!
Thank you so much for sharing this Katie. At least I know it's done somewhere else. Now I won't think it's so weird. Maybe they're trying to cut down on their hassles with the waiting lists. They haven't responded to my email yet. They will probably have to talk to the head honchos, since it's a new policy. I'm probably the first to ask about doing it long-distance.
At least all the places I've gotten on waiting lists aren't asking me to do this LOL! My credit score would completely tank. It's a numbers game getting on these lists. I get on every list in any decent complex, to increase my odds of getting into one sooner.
I suppose since this particular property is in a super desirable location, they probably get hundreds and hundreds of people wanting to get on the waiting list. This way, maybe a bunch will screen themselves out.
I can't think of any reason why it would be illegal. I'm going to guess that management is tired of too many people taking up space on the waiting list, not qualifying, and then getting hostile when they are rejected after waiting a year.
Not to mention, it is easier to guess wait times when all the people on the wait list are qualified, and the list is not a mystery mixture of qualified and unqualified tenants.
I can't think of any reason why it would be illegal. I'm going to guess that management is tired of too many people taking up space on the waiting list, not qualifying, and then getting hostile when they are rejected after waiting a year.
Not to mention, it is easier to guess wait times when all the people on the wait list are qualified, and the list is not a mystery mixture of qualified and unqualified tenants.
Yes, you're absolutely correct. I did get an email back from my local housing authority rep. She said that it's legal. She did say that there is a place in town here that does this, then charges again for another set of reports when the tenants get to the top of the list. That it's legal, and is up to me if I want to go through their screening process. But, that it also shows that they are very particular about the tenants, so it should be an indication of a good property, too.
She also said they'll likely waive the in-person requirement, and that they probably do that to be sure the documents are not fakes.
Now I'm waiting to hear from the apartment complex manager, hoping she won't require me to go down in person. But, this is a really nice property in an excellent neighborhood. I guess I'll jump through whatever hoops I have to to get in there.
I sure hope all properties don't start doing this. It will be expensive for people like me trying to relocate, and hard on the credit report - all the hard inquiries.
Veering slightly off topic, when I see a credit report, it tells me who has pulled reports. If there are several credit reports pulled by assorted apartment complexes on the report of someone applying to rent from me, there is nothing worrying about that. No one is going to sign up for two rentals. They will pick one and only be paying one rent.
If I see the same number of credit pulls from assorted new car dealerships, I start looking a bit closer at the applicant's budget. Can they still afford the rent if they are taking on a new car payment?
It's really worrysome to see three pulls from credit card companies on an applicant who already has 8 cards, all with substantial balances, even when they don't have any late payments (yet).
Veering slightly off topic, when I see a credit report, it tells me who has pulled reports. If there are several credit reports pulled by assorted apartment complexes on the report of someone applying to rent from me, there is nothing worrying about that. No one is going to sign up for two rentals. They will pick one and only be paying one rent.
If I see the same number of credit pulls from assorted new car dealerships, I start looking a bit closer at the applicant's budget. Can they still afford the rent if they are taking on a new car payment?
It's really worrysome to see three pulls from credit card companies on an applicant who already has 8 cards, all with substantial balances, even when they don't have any late payments (yet).
Excellent point. Thank you for this.
I also did some research online, and a hard hit for a landlord should only affect my score by a few points, so it's not as big a deal as I thought.
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