Tenant Screening by a Portland Property Manager

We like to talk about tenant screening because that’s where a property manager’s work really begins. We do the best we can to screen tenants up front and place people in homes once they have demonstrated they have done a good job as tenants in the past and they have the income and credit required to pay their rent and their bills on time. It’s important to have a set screening criteria in place for everyone. At Fox, I like to say we have a place for everyone. If you are a first time renter moving out of mom’s for the first time, a single family home might not be for you, but we can find an apartment or a duplex that suits your needs.

For the single family homes we manage, our screening criteria is that tenants have rented a place on their own for at least two years or been a prior homeowner. We certainly have an income requirement as well and we verify household income through pay stubs or references through employers. We also look at the overall credit picture of applicants. Working with people who have bruised credit is not a problem, as long as they are willing to pay a higher security deposit.

Sometimes, property managers have to be private detectives. We really scour the information we receive. If an applicant gives you a landlord reference, check the public records so you can be sure that is the real landlord who owns the property the applicant is renting. You have to beware of false references.

Since we get a lot of activity, our policy is one of first come, first served. Whenever we have a property available, we give the rental to the first completed and approved application. To have a complete application, a tenant must have seen the property or filled out a sight unseen form. We also need to have the application fee paid for every individual applying to live in the home. Anyone over the age of 18 who will live there must turn in a completed application.

By following these steps, we avoid problems with fair housing laws. We take people first come first served, so if they meet the screening criteria, they get to move into the property. It keeps us safe. We also let owners know that we are bound by HUD occupancy guidelines. The HUD guideline is two people per bedroom plus one, which means a seven person family can live in a three bedroom home.

If you have any questions about tenant screening, please contact us at Fox Management. We believe starting off on the right foot is essential for a good landlord experience.