Expediting Your Apps – Part 1
We all know that an empty rental is a wasted rental. Every day that it sits empty is more money out of your pocket. In the landlords’ market that Portland has become, finding applicants is not as time-consuming a process as it has been. Now, the pressure is on the screening process to quickly determine if your applicants will be good renters. So, we’ve created a checklist of steps to make sure your screening is completed quickly. Check back next month for part two of this list and make sure to check each application for these things before you send it off to your screening company.
1. Signatures: Usually, this is simply a slip-of-the-mind mistake, but a valid signature is what permits us to research applicants beyond criminal history. While e-signatures are a step into the future and an easier way of doing things, there are still landlords and employers who will not accept an e-signature as a valid signature. Getting a handwritten signature eliminates time wasted explaining to landlords and HR personnel what an e-signature is and why it’s valid. It also saves time spent bringing applicants back into the office to sign papers. Making sure you have valid signatures also eliminates the risk of legal repercussions. Applicants have sued landlords for contacting references or pulling credit and have won because the landlords neglected to obtain a valid signature. Save yourself the hassle of a court case and get the signature.
2. Handwriting. So often, one of the biggest hurdles to a screening is one that no one seems to think about, handwriting. The more time we spend trying to decipher the phone number or address or even the applicant’s name, the more time you spend with an empty unit. Sometimes, a mixed-up number is the difference between an accurate credit report and nothing.
3. Completeness: Many applicants are under the mistaken belief that no one cares what’s on their application. Applicants often leave out contact numbers for their landlords or employers. While this is not a huge problem with large apartment complexes, property management companies, and large employers which are easy to find, private landlords are nearly impossible to find accurate, up-to-date contact information for. More often than not, this works against the applicant, leaving them with a lack of verified rental history or unverified employment. But, this can also work against the landlord, hiding a bad rental history.
DISCLAIMER: READ CAREFULLY: The information provided in this article is not considered legal advice and is given only for information purposes. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL.