A lot of reasons a LL would deny an app, its basically permanently final as it's based on income, credit, references, employment, etc, that cannot be changed by applicant in a short period of time.

My question is about incomplete (not false) applications. How many times do you give an applicant to return a fully completed application before you tell them a final no?

It has been my experience that applicants who do not complete my application (and it is in written form) are either too dumb to chew gum and walk at the same time OR (more likely) are attempting to hide something (typically a previous eviction) and figure if they don't answer that question "they ain't lying, they are just not telling the truth".

I'm old, I'm cranky and I've already THOROUGHLY explained that the ENTIRE application must be completed. Good gravy, it's less than 2 pages long.

As such, I'm not playing games with these fools. I just slap everything into an envelope and send it back to the applicant with a form stating sorry; it can't be processed due to failure to complete.

In the past out I have checked out these names with our local online Marshal Service (the law enforcement office that handles dispossessory and eviction notices). In about 90 percent of cases those who don't answer the question "have you ever been evicted" show up as yes, they have been.

I rejected many possible renters for lying on the application. Not a mistake but a flat out lie. I was charged with discrimination because the "City Housing Department" things it's okay to lie to a landlord in order to secure housing for your family. The City was mistaken. Just because someone is in a "protected class", doesn't give them a license to make up years on the job, salary, savings, a non-criminal record having lived half their life in jail.

With an application occasionally an applicant may overlook something because they didn't have that information on hand at the moment and went through the rest of it with the plan to go back and fill it in completely later. Then forget.

They can submit as many apps as they want.

The one they submit first is the one I’m going to use for processing.

But I will look to see what has changed - they better have a good explanation.

If it is simply filling in info that they had not provided previously I will consider it.

Like others, my application is electronic and requires all fields to be completed. However, there’s nothing to keep them from putting “N/A” or “I’ll get it later” in the field.

It depends upon what is left off.

Some of my applicants don't remember the car license plate of their other car. That's fine with me.

I look up the phone number of their work, anyway, and don't use the one they give me. Usually, I am given the cell number of someone the applicant identifies as their boss and not the phone number of the place they work.

If I can look the information up online in 30 seconds and if the applicant seems to be a good one, I will google. The sort of information that I can't Google immediately or can't find without digging, is a rejection.