State Specific Question About: FLORIDA (FL) Any suggestions how to handle?

Seems I've been working my day job for a city too long, and I swear it seems like the city is sending 'secret shoppers' to my tenants or AS my tenants.

Why? The city already advises it does send employees mystery shoppers to call us and check on our courtesy, etc.

I've had rentals for half the time I've been employed there and only recently (past five years) have I had a 6th sense that someone or group (union) is getting at me through them, though there is no reason to.

It's getting annoying.

I think testers have called me in the past so it's not unlikely.

Just run your business like a business. I treat every prospect as they are trying to scam me in some form or another. If these people are truly testers, they will leave eventually, because they aren't actually renting.

#1) Be only business-like!

#2) Be vague!! Tenants are mushrooms, feed them "manure" and keep them in the dark. In other words, keep your mouth shut.

#3) Answer only when asked and with as few words as possible.

#4) Learn to ask only open-ended questions.

#5) Assume that every phone call or email you get is someone out to take advantage of you or open you up to a law suit.

#6) Stay vigilant and on the offensive.

#7) Master the poker face!

#8) Once again to drive home the fact, Be vague and SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!

Here's how I figure it. If someone calls and mumbles or uses colloquill speech so much I can't understand them, then I assume they will probably be too dumb to rent.

If they are able to enunciate and actually communicate beyond a tenth grade level, then I assume they are a tester.

No win. Sigh :-(

Thank you all for those messages and any more that come. I'm not that high up in rank at the city.....it's not only about my taxes pay your dollars.

I've personally encountered some of the people I believe are doing it, and they are employees of the same place and the secret shoppers they may pay to do it.

I've tried every avenue besides legal to find out, to no avail.

I tell every prospective tenant that I treat everyone the same and to take an application. I very carefully tell people that I will be checking credit and criminal backgrounds, and references.

Are these people giving you a paper trail to follow or do they only provide information "up to a point".

I've had "shopper" prospects. LiveTheDream's comments about being articulate are interesting. I've found that the people sent to scope me out by HUD are usually well-spoken and polite. They always pass my prelimary screening. When they come to the showings (in a predominantly caucasian area), they are instantly recognizable - perfect Mom/Dad/2 cute kids family that is either all minority, or bi-racial.

HC,

You've given me a great idea! I'm going to hire some friends to secret shop MY business for courtesy, friendliness, promptness, etc.

In response to your questions, the 'secret shoppers' are more like people or groups who somehow, I don't know how yet, get the already-renting tenant to test me and/or some problem comes up with the unit, such as a broken central AC, a short circuited electric incident that downs the whole building, or a report that my tenant was lewd to the neighbors. On another side, I get several tenants from totally different locations all propositioning me, though I do not try to appear as if I am, and at times, I even try not to appear at all (ie do business by mail, email, etc only).

I know these things do happen naturally, but I had trouble at my job, and these things happened one after the other during that time, so I am suspicious I guess.

I don't know if the tenants themselves were sent to 'do' these things to my unit, or if they are being 'egged' on so that the tenants themselves aren't aware it's a set up. Perhaps a friend of a friend, etc. influences them intentionally..