Establishing Rental Standards

by Mary Anne Ragragio


Posted on 2019-08-17 20:17:01


establishing rental standard image1.JPG

Tenant qualifying standards relate to a tenant's ability to pay their rent and follow the terms of their lease agreement. It is also a checklist for landlords. It allows the landlords to screen tenants based on the same basic criteria. It is illegal to reform the requirements or make different requirements because of someone’s race, age, gender, religion or any other characteristic that may violate the Federal Fair Housing Act.

You do not want to be accused of discrimination. Thus, you must have the same qualifying standards for all prospective tenants.

Every landlord may have slightly different qualifying standards, and that is fine, as long as the standards are not in violation of any laws. Here are some examples you can consider. 

 

  • Limiting the number of people per apartment –For safety purposes, there is a limit on the number of people who can reside. A landlord can limit the number of people living in the apartment based on the local municipality's guidelines of maximum occupancy per square footage. A Landlord cannot limit based on any other criteria as that is discriminatory. You may check with your local municipality to see what limitations they have and that is all you can enforce. Due to fair housing, you do not have a right to chose based on the familial status of the occupants (e.g. children) only the number based on local laws.

 

  • Copy of government identification – this is to verify their identity who claims to be on their rental application. Photo ID's are used to establish identity. It's up to the agent and is a part of due diligence to confirm the identity of the person of whom they are working with especially for a rental. If Credit and background are being pulled and an application is submitted to the owner it's a must.

 

  • Order tenant screening – it will help you determine if they have the capability of paying their rent on time. Taking the time to order your tenant screening can help to remarkably reduce problems in the future. It will help in eliminating potential damage and evictions. Smart Housing's Tenant Screening can definitely help you with this matter; this allows you to take a holistic look at their income, debt, credit information, criminal history, eviction history, etc. without violating any Equal housing rules. Smart Housing is fast, easy, accurate and affordable tenant screening. If you are in need of Tenant Screening services, then look no further than Smart Housing

 

  • Security Deposit – is the money a landlord required from a tenant. It helps to protect the landlord if ever tenant violates the rental agreement or break something on their property. Every state within the United States allows a landlord to collect a security deposit from a tenant. You are usually allowed to keep the portion of this security deposit necessary to cover the lost rent. You may be able to keep a tenant’s security deposit to cover any utilities they have neglected to pay and were required to pay as part of their lease.

 

 


Other Recent Posts

  • What is property management?
  • Why a Landlord Should Hire a Property Manager
  • Defining Heating Systems
  • Household Hazards
  • A Basic Understanding of Homeowner Associations
  • Pest Control in Rental Properties
  • Three Screening Tips to Avoid an Eviction
  • How-to-Videos for New Move-Ins
  • Preventing and Minimizing Water Damage from Flooding
  • Is Keyless Entry Right for You?
  • Rental Property Rehab
  • Staging a Rental Property
  • Preparing Rental Properties for Winter
  • Do-It-Yourself Landlords
  • Harassment by Tenant
  • Harassment by Landlord
  • Renting Your Home to Military Family
  • Renting a House vs Apartment
  • Pros and Cons of Pet Living in Apartment
  • Property Manager Needs To Know
  • Things to Know Before Signing a Lease
  • Renting to Student
  • Tenant Violated a No Pet Clause
  • How Apartment Leasing Work
  • Things to Remember When Renting Out Your Apartment
  • Having a Virtual office: Its Pros and Cons
  • Best Way To Clean Your Windows
  • Bed Bugs and How to Control It
  • Tenant Terminating Lease Early
  • Do's and Don'ts of Living in Apartment
  • Landlord FAQs
  • PROs & CONs of Multifamily Homes
  • Pros and Cons of Month-to-Month Rental Agreement
  • Common Problems Landlords Face in Dealing with Their Tenants
  • FAQs on Evictions
  • Rent Collection Issues
  • Advertise your Rental Property
  • How Much Will My Property Rent For?
  • Tips for First Time Landlords
  • Prospective Tenants
  • Ways to Handle Rent and Security Deposits
  • How to Increase Rent
  • How to be a Good Landlord
  • Reducing Vacancies
  • Serving an Eviction Notice
  • Tips on How to Avoid Rental Fraud
  • Tenant's Abandoned Personal Property
  • Tenants Need to Know About Apartment Inspections
  • Tenant's Rights Violated
  • Establishing Rental Standards