State Specific Question About: IDAHO (ID)

I don't take cosigners. For me, I feel tenants take better care of place if their money (sec. deposit) is on line.

You could tell him no cosigners. You could have problems because once they paid 6 months rent, you wouldn't be able to get them out.

My response is always the same "Sorry, you do not meet my rental criteria." I don't show the place to anyone that gives me enough information ahead of time to eliminate them.

My rental criteria, btw, is the SAME for each person applying. One of my criteria is their behavior has to be acceptable to me. See below and feel free to borrow what you like.

"Applicant and all co-applicants must have:

1. All statements and information provided by applicant are true and easily verifiable.

2. No criminal or litigant background deemed by the landlord to be serious.

3. No outstanding warrants. No judgments. No evictions, bankruptcy, or foreclosures started and none completed.

4. Established satisfactory credit history of at least six months with FICO >649 or satisfactory guarantor with good credit history and agreeable to higher security deposit.

5. Established employment history of at least six months.

6. Evidence of steady monthly income that is at least 3 times monthly rent or, if full time student, proof that income and loans will be able to fully cover rent during entire rental period.

7. Passed tenant screening background check.

8. If previous renter, satisfactory remarks from previous landlords regarding rent being paid on time, obeying rules, and no damage to rental property.

9. If not previous renter, satisfactory evidence that applicant has history of paying bills (and mortgage, if homeowner) on time and taking care of own and other’s personal property.

10. Employer verifies income, length of employment, and position held. If student, program director/ educational institution verifies acceptance into program and length of anticipated attendance of program.

11. Passed landlord’s “gut reaction” check. No behavior can be present that landlord finds offensive, disrespectful, or immature. No pattern can be present of past behavior and no presence of any current behavior that landlord predicts would create tension between tenant and neighbors, tenant and landlord, or neighbors and landlord.

Automatic denial if:

1. Lack of sufficient income to pay rent. Each single applicant’s income must be 3 times the monthly rent. History of bankruptcy within last 7 years that is not related to a catastrophic, single-time event such as one huge medical bill or identity theft. If FICO less than 650, applicant may be considered on a case by case basis if lowered FICO score was clearly due to an uncontrollable, catastrophic event, such as huge medical bill and applicant/ co-applicant has shown a credit history since event that clearly shows consistently good credit behavior.

2. FICO score less than 650 (see above for exception) or, if no established credit, the lack of a qualified co-signer. Landlord not obligated to offer co-signer option.

3. Convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor deemed significant by landlord, or if on court calendar for upcoming criminal or civil charges deemed serious by landlord, or if outstanding warrant.

4. Poor ethical or moral character. Character will be assessed based on answers to pre-screening questions, during written exchange of information, during telephone and in-person conversations, from information gathered during an internet search of all publicly-available information and social networking sites, interviews with applicant, co-applicant, and others listed on the application, and from those accompanying the applicant. If any source reveals the presence or history of behavior the landlord finds offensive or inappropriate, or believes will be offensive to the rental property neighbors, the pre-screening process will be stopped, or if an application has been received, it will be denied. For example, unacceptable behavior includes if applicant or co-applicant has presence of or a history of lying, sloth, stealing, domestic violence, illegal behavior, drunken outbursts, disruptive behavior, inappropriate complaining, being overly-confrontational, immature, or disrespectful, or other worrisome examples of immaturity, non-compliance, or instability.

5. Applicant and/ or co-applicant omits information on the application or is unwilling or unable to supply information that would allow Landlord to perform a satisfactory background check that could be easily completed within 3 days.

6. Applicant or co-applicant’s background check shows worrisome behavioral trends, such as history of accounts going to collection/ non-payment, frequent changes of address, or frequent changes of employers.

7. More than 4 persons will live at the Premises. Limit is 4 persons."

I've had such a mob pull up with several cars. At the time, I advertized 2 Vespa scooters for sale. They distracted me to the point of me being fooled when they counted money.

Don't go there - they know their rights, you would only get into trouble over 6 months' rent. And maybe have the whole clan camp in your property...

Jody, that is pretty good criteria, I only see two, maybe three HUD violations. LOL

You can't require each single person to cover the rent alone. You must take the combined income of all the residents.

In some states you can limit to 4 occupants in a 2 bedroom, in others you must allow 5. But you can't limit a 3 bedroom to only 4 - technically you have to allow 7.

As for the OP - you are the landlord, YOU are in charge. Do not let applicants push you around even a tiny bit or you will lose control from the outset.

I would find some basic way to deny them without incurring a civil rights lawsuit.

However...

I have a friend that I went through my private pilot ground school with, who used to live in my condo complex.

He was from Brazil. Arrived here about 6 years ago, spoke no english. When we met he was delivering Pizza for Dominoes. Then he became the manager. Now he's supervisor of a six store franchise. He went back to Brazil about a year ago on vacation and bought a house there for his parents and one for a rental that they manage for him.

He's working on his commercial pilots license now and within a couple of years he will be able to work for a US airline as a co-pilot or can return to Brazil and work there. He is building a solid career.

LL,

In MN, all criteria legal according to our laws. Before ever becoming LL, had law firm go over everything. Guess that's why we repeatedly hear on this site to always tell any other LL to check their own state's laws (and local ordinances). My occupancy criteria comes from there.

I have had great luck with foreigh nationals. They live in two of my apartments.

One has a Doctorate in Engeneering and currently does research at a local University. She was comming from a Post Doctoral Fellowship in the Neatherlands. She has published papers in scientific journals. I googled her name. She has duel Cannadian and Dutch citisenship. I was able to verify information from her then present and former landlords. International calls are inexpensive these days. It is cheaper to call Europe than Mexico. Her now current research department chairperson verified that she would be employed in his department. I also examined her papers when she made a visit to sign paperwork with her now present employer and look for an apartment.

I also have a young scandinavian couple who are doing advanced studies at the same local University. They had previously been attending undergraduate school at another American university. I was able to check their credit, verify their student status, and verify their stipend.

We love renting to university folks. We especially like graduate and professional students, medical students, staff, and medical residents. We avoid underclassmen.

I have no problem renting to foreigh nationals as long as I can verify most of their information. We have never rented to undocumented workers.