Today I got an email from a person who is interested in our townhouse for rent. After I replied her email with the screening questions, I got the following email and would like to share it with you. By the way, these screening questions are great and saved me a lot of time before.

"What!!!!! That’s a rather offensive approach to a applicant whose interested in in your property as well as maintaining property and paying you rent, you sound more like a drill sergeant and not one who is interested in leasing to someone.. Shame!!!!"

Hi,

Thank you for your interest. Please answer the following questions before we schedule a showing.

1. How many people will be moving in with you?

2. What pets do you have?

3. We are required to do a criminal background and credit checks. When the results come out, do you think there will be anything against you?

4. What is your monthly take home money? (The requirement is $1,300 x 3 =$$3,900 net monthly income.)

5. Do you smoke?

6. Do you have a checking account?

7. How many vehicles do you own?

8. Why should we rent to you?

By the way, this is not a section 8 approved property.

Thank you.

I use a comparable list. But instead of asking "Do you smoke", I ask "How many people in the household smoke? Also, do they smoke inside or out?"

I've had a few of those. More along the lines of telling me I'm crazy to think I'll ever find anyone with those kind of move in funds.

The shame is they're thinking they can shame you into being a fool. Some kind-hearted Ma and Pa LL will take pity on this person, move them in, and never receive a dime in rent. They will trash the place, move out after delaying for 3-4 months with lies, and then will have to gall to call them "slumlords who never fixed anything."

You just knocked another one out of the park! Home run!!!

Ever applicant is an applicant I DON'T WANT. They have to prove to ME there good enough. If that takes 20 questions of 100 the questions keep coming until I'm satisfied. Most questions don't come from me until Ihave app in hand and fee for app. Every answer and word out of their mouth is considered a lie until we can verify. Then your not dissapointed.

They gave you a compliments! You screen! Caught ya! I have started asking "any smokers/vapor?" add vapor cause they will answer no they don't smoke but you didn't ask about vapor.

Good job! Did you write back.?

Boy MYOB, is that an accurate statement: "Every applicant is an applicant I don't want!"

Edit #8.

Edit to my edit...#8

8. Why do you want to live here?

That's the question i ask.

Plenty MO correct answer in YOUR eyes.

Thank you so much for your inputs, comments and suggestions. I will definitely modify the wording of some of the questions.

After I read this applicant's email, I did not reply to her.

Hopefully, sooner or later she can figure it out by herself. If she can't, she will keep suffering and nobody can help her.

The things I did right in being a landlord, including these screening questions, should be credited to this forum.

Thanks to your generosity in sharing suggestions and advice, so far I have wonderful tenants who pay rent on time and take good care of the properties.

Thank you all again and happy landlording : )

Thank you so much for your inputs, comments and suggestions. I will definitely modify the wording of some of the questions.

After I read this applicant's email, I did not reply to her.

Hopefully, sooner or later she can figure it out by herself. If she can't, she will keep suffering and nobody can help her.

The things I did right in being a landlord, including these screening questions, should be credited to this forum.

Thanks to your generosity in sharing suggestions and advice, so far I have wonderful tenants who pay rent on time and take good care of the properties.

Thank you all again and happy landlording : )

That is less than half the number of questions I ask prospective tenants.

I have had three nasty replies in all from hundreds of prospects over the years.

One told me she had worked as a manager before and some of my questions are not even legal. I sent her a message saying, "I don't think we're a good fit anyway."

Another said these questions are ridiculous and are what an application is for. He told me he'd let me know if he decided to follow up. I told him, "Don't bother." Then he was quite unhappy since I had just screened him out.

Another answered a third of my questions. When I sent her a message about "When you are serious and want to answer the rest of the questions let me know." I received a nastygram back telling me how busy she was and how dare I. I will never get a good renter the way I treat people. I said, "Thank you, have a nice day."

I love the troublemakers. They make my job so easy.

If they complain about 2 things or more never ever rent to them. Read that in a book and it is spot on. If they do not have all the money needed before move in move on. Here is my first email:

In order to get this property you must have a full security deposit $795 available immediately following approval. First month’s rent, $795, is due before you move in. We run background and credit checks, we do not expect everything to be perfect but they do affect our final decision. If you are interested please fill out a rental application – this, and this alone, will determine if you qualify to rent this property.

You pay all utilities. Pets are permitted with a slight increase in deposit & rent depending on what pets, size etc.

Rent to own requires a significant down payment of several thousand dollars. If you are interested AND have the money we can discuss terms.

We do not accept section 8 (CMHA).

I will be accepting applications until around 4/14/17 and the review them and pick the most qualified tenant, if you want to move in sooner AND have $1,590 required to move in please let me know.

When filling out the application it is very very important to give me all info for your current employer (company name, supervisors name, phone number) and your current & past landlords name and phone number.

There is no application fee, and, again, your rental application speaks for itself. Please fill it out and email or fax it to me asap.

Do NOT leave applications at the property!