4th October 2009

Tenants: How To Get Your Application Approved

posted in Care and Feeding of Tenants |

Recently I made a post directed at tenants about how NOT to inquire about a rental property. This post is sort of a follow-up to that one:application-denied

This SHOULD be a common-sense-type concept but from my recent experience fielding phone calls about one of our vacant rental houses, the point is obviously lost on many tenants seeking new accommodation.

People do not seem to understand that the rental application process starts at the first phone call. Along with looking good on paper (i.e. the actual rental application) you must be able to communicate effectively and somewhat professionally.

From a landlord’s perspective:

- If you cannot be reached by phone because you gave your friend’s number while inquiring about the property and your friend can’t be bothered to be courteous when I call…..you will not get approved.

- If you are demanding and inflexible when scheduling to view a rental property. For instance, you call and say that you absolutely must see it right now, within the hour and your tone-of-voice is threatening in any way…..you will not get approved.

- If you seem overly desperate to rent a place for whatever reason and you don’t seem like you have your life/money/mental “act together”….you will not get approved.

- If I return your phone call and you are half-asleep and have no idea who I am and why I’m calling …..you will not get approved.

- If you seem clueless for any reason, as in you may have a problem determining when you should turn off a water shut-off valve or a circuit breaker in the electrical panel….you will not get approved.

And finally, if you balk at the prospect of scraping together the money to cover first, last and security and I get a whiff of that….you will not get approved.

Also, for extra dis-credit, if your vocabulary is not wide enough to include the word “balk”….you will not get approved.

In other words, if you seem like you’re going to be a problem to deal with within the first few times we speak on the phone, why would I want to enter into a legally-binding year-long contract with you?

There are currently 7 responses to “Tenants: How To Get Your Application Approved”

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  1. 1 On October 4th, 2009, Gary said:

    Over the last year or so, the incidence of fair housing complaints has increased significantly and landlords are at risk. How can a landlord exercise his/her judgment about an applicant while still acting within the rules that says a landlords is supposed to publish their criteria and offer their rental to the first applicant that satisfies that criteria? With essential zero cost to current/former tenants to make a complaint and the burden of proof being on the landlord, can landlords continue to operate as in the past?

  2. 2 On October 6th, 2009, Justin Palma said:

    LOL, I love the “you are half asleep and have no idea why I am calling”… that one happens more often then one would think!

  3. 3 On October 7th, 2009, nina said:

    you crack me up!!!! ‘seeming clueless’ these days seems to be the norm. perhaps you need an 800 number with departmental instructions…you’ll eliminate quite a few that way! LOL.

  4. 4 On October 28th, 2009, John Allison said:

    And remember if the prospective tenants show up complaining about anything, health, job, current landlord or place they live don’t lease to them. They will be the thorn in your side.

  5. 5 On December 29th, 2009, Michael Watson said:

    As a former landlord and now a tenant, I have to ask myself why the too common imperialistic attitude towards tenants exists in general?

    If you find people, particularly people less affluent than you, inherently difficult to deal with, perhaps a stock portfolio or a silent partnership in a small business might be a wiser investment.

    The fact that many landlords require the tenant to virtually prove they have the wherewithal to buy their own place before they are acceptable tenant candidates is arrogant in the least and offensive in the greatest. And the 800lb gorilla in the room is: If they had the cash to spare, why would they be talking to you in the first place? They’d be the landlords.

    Now, I’m not saying destructive, abusive, or late tenants should be tolerated, because then you’re risking your own investment and serenity. I never put up with any crap at all. If a problem arose, I immediately posted the 3-day notice, and then promptly moved to evict. No re-negotiations, nothing. Game over. But I told them up front before I rented to them that I wanted no hassles, and this would be my reaction at the first sign of trouble. Living on-property made it possible to be visible on a daily basis. The dead weight always left. But I was always polite, approachable, and acknowledkged they were NOT seeking employment from me, that they were the customer and I was the vendor, and I needed to EARN their business. I was a nice landlord, not a superior jerk lording it over them.

    In my humble opinion, the overall attitude needs to change, or people should get out of the business. In this economy there are thousands of responsible folks like me who have lost everything and are now forced not only to rent, but to deal with a Nazi-like demeanor from many landlords. Additionally, this is a buyer’s/tenant’s market, and landlord arrogance will result in see-throughs. Maybe when the economy picks up you can be more of a dictator, but now it just loses you money. That’s just as bad for the bottom line as the other problems.

    Lastly, a reminder: there are other investments out there. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

  6. 6 On December 29th, 2009, TheLandlord said:

    In response to Michael Watson (above):

    My “imperialistic” attitude is not directed at potential tenants who are less affluent than I am. The fact is that I am simply surprised that some people are just clueless that they are being evaluated from the first phone call.

    In fact, now that I am a landlord, it makes sense why when I was a tenant myself I had the following experience:

    I was already renting an apartment in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida and was unhappy with my current landlord in that they were raising the rent while living conditions were degrading due to extensive repairs being performed on the apartment building.

    I went to view another unit for rent in town and I showed up dressed in casual work attire, was polite and well spoken. I decided not to lease the unit due to the fact that it was directly in the flight path of a runway at Palm Beach International Airport.

    For two months the landlord of that building pestered me to rent the unit even offering to lower the rent because she felt I would be a good tenant.

    It just goes to show what being personable and somewhat professional will do for your chances.

  7. 7 On December 30th, 2009, Robert said:

    Your article hits directly home. We do property management in Seattle, and thought it was just our local “vibe” that generated some rude, unprepared, clueless and disorganized apartment hunters. I read your blog and realized it’s a nationwide thing. We even launched an entire new “rental guide” website to give tips on the best way to search, budget, and apply for rentals, but we still get more than a few calls from people who don’t remember the property they are calling on, insist they must see the unit right way but never show up, speak unintelligibly, or don’t know the area well enough to realize it’s too far for them to commute until they show up to see it.

    We are approaching the issue from a patience and education standpoint (thus the supplemental website), but it’s good to know we’re not alone (and that it’s not something we’re doing wrong) :>

    great post, thanks.

    Rob
    RD House Property Management, Seattle

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