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MORE Rental Applicants MOVING with their ADULT Children * I need to SCREEN Them ALSO

By
Property Manager with Gibson Management Group, Ltd.

For years, I have PREscreened applicants prior to scheduling viewings of my OCCUPIED rental homes.

While properties appear VACANT on my website, they are actually OCCUPIED by current residents who are leaving at the end of their current lease term.

To view an occupied property, the rental prospects must complete our one page rental application.  No further screening is done and no application fee is required at this point; however, all ADULT applicants must have application form.

 

As more ADULT children move back home after graduation or because of the HIGH UNemployment numbers where they currently live, prospects may HOPE that they will only be in their TENANT-household for a short time - until they get a job * however, they must be SCREENED like they are going to reside in the property for the length of the lease.

 

Since all tenants named on the lease are JOINTLY and SEVERALLY responsible for the PAYMENT of the RENT and PERFORMANCE of the TERMS of the LEASE, SCREENING these applicants is IMPORTANT.

 ....as the bumper sticker says * HOPE for the best (that they get a job and leave) and PLAN for the worst (that they will remain through the length of the lease).

 

Posted by

Wallace S. Gibson is a Certified Property Manager with over 50 years of property management experience and expertise.  She maintains a specialized property management business in Central Virginia serving Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna and Louisa counties  

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Comments (24)

Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Good for you, Wallace.  I do the same.  I had a recent rental applicant decide not to apply when she found out every adult needed to be on the lease.  There must have been a reason, and I assume it was good for me that she didn't follow through. 

May 19, 2013 09:16 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Great information and a best practice for all property managers, Wallace,

May 19, 2013 09:18 PM
The Temple Team
THE TEMPLE TEAM - Mooresville, NC
Specializing in Lake Norman/Charlotte/Charleston

WOW! GREAT thoughts AND GREAT Blog! Thanks for sharing ... definitely something to think about for sure!

May 19, 2013 10:26 PM
Adrian Kindred
Keller Williams Arizona Realty - Phoenix, AZ

I dealt with this when I was a locator, I had to tell the applicant, all people over the age of 18 had to fill out the application. The laws used to be more lax, and allow people with bad credit to be an applicant on a lease form. The policies of property management have become stricter to protect the landlords. 

May 19, 2013 11:16 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Yes to this post...I have adult children moving in as well and I even had a father who didn't want his child to sign up...Red flag

May 19, 2013 11:34 PM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Wallace, we definitely require background/credit checks on all adult occupants.

May 20, 2013 01:18 AM
Team Honeycutt
Allen Tate - Concord, NC

I am sure that adult children moving with their parents is complicating the rental process. It is unfortunate that so many adult children are finding it necessary to move in with their parents. Hopefully, this will change as the economy gets better.

Betty

May 20, 2013 01:35 AM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Agreed, even Grandma needs a background check in some circumstances. I just turned down an applicant because there would be too many adult children moving back to the place 'maybe'.  Only have so many BR's & this isn't a motel.  Some people just don't understand that.

May 20, 2013 03:31 AM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

Our policy to conduct a background check on every person over 18 years old bottom line. Make it happen

May 20, 2013 04:42 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Absolutely a good practice.  A rental application must be for anyone over 18 planning on residing in the property.  

May 20, 2013 04:51 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

The # of cars at the property is a BIG issue when over-flow is parked on the street and emergency vehicles can't get through....I'm not sure when 16 year olds got their own cars; however, since no one parks in garages any more, too many vehicles is a problem

May 20, 2013 05:38 AM
Ricky D. Sadler
Real Estate Marketing Experts &Trusted Senior Advisors on Property Management services, Rentals Leasing, Landlord Ten... - Seattle, WA
Trusted Senior Property Advisor & Marketing Expert

Great Post! This is a Must do! one bad egg will take down the ship!

Ricky D

www.RD-House.com

May 20, 2013 06:00 AM
Aaron Hofmann
Atlanta Communities - Smyrna, GA
aka Mr. Smyrna Vinings

For the most part, it seems tenants avoid disclosing these things not because they're naive, but because they know the owner isn't likely to approve the lease when they learn all the sordid details of the other family members moving in.

May 20, 2013 06:24 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Many parents are hoping for the best but failing to plan for the worst. Good advice for those that are managing rentals.

May 20, 2013 06:43 AM
Mark Delgado
houses for rent, Solano County & Glen Cove - Benicia, CA
Benicia and Vallejo, Property Management, rental h
Once again Wallace is absolutely correct in her message. In fact, if children Miocene in that are near to age than we will make note of that fact and have them screened as well when the time comes.
May 20, 2013 08:31 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

After 9/11 - the FBI started an outreach program to major multi-unit landlords advising them and their staff to screen all adults applicants and to not allow adult residents unless they had been screened.  This has been the case for government housing for decades; however, many DIY landlords don't think about the consequences.

May 20, 2013 08:55 AM
Eric Michael
Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI - Livonia, MI
Metro Detroit Real Estate Professional 734.564.1519

Wallace, this is a great blog. Kids or friends or even relatives that have been foreclosed on have the potential to end up in the house. We need to know everyone who's in there.

May 20, 2013 09:09 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Wallace, 

A recent challenge we have had is with teenage children - who are not of legal age to be screened, but had some big issues.  We have solved, but it was not a problem I had encountered before!

Great point. 

All the best, Michelle

May 20, 2013 11:05 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Wallace- this is great information to know.  I am not an agent so did not know this. 

May 20, 2013 11:54 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Great advice Wallace, I to this too.  It is surprising how many families are denied a home because of one members past.

May 20, 2013 03:08 PM