This 8-Item List Of Requirements For Being Able To Rent This House Went Viral Because Of Its Ridiculousness
Future tenants must always be careful and watch out for scammers who just want to take their money. But landlords also need to take their own precautions to not be left without a tenant when they told every other applicant the place is no longer available and from messy people who can destroy their property.
There is a saying ‘better safe than sorry,’ but usually there is a line when it’s too much. A person online shared a photo of a list of requirements a tenant must meet to be able to rent a 1,568-square-foot (145 square meters) house in Georgia, USA and they look like someone’s buying the property and not renting it.
More info: imgur
Finding a place to live is hard as it is, but landlords tend to make the task even more difficult
Image credits: David Baron (not the actual photo)
The photo of the requirements was posted on imgur by the user Mostlywibbly alongside a Google Maps photo for reference as to how the house looks from the outside.
It seems that the landlord wanted to make sure that the person they would be renting the property to was a financially stable, working person with a car.
The first thing on the list was to have a 640 credit score. For those who aren’t familiar, a credit score shows how likely a person is to pay back credit. The number ranges from 300 to 850 and the higher the number, the bigger the chance the person will be able to pay off their debts, so 640 is kind of high.
An Imgur user shared a list of requirements this landlord has for a person to be able to apply
Image credits: Mostlywibbly
Image credits: Mostlywibbly
The first thing written in all caps indicates that it is very important that the future tenant have a good credit score
Image credits: Zillow
Then the landlord wanted the tenant to not only have a job, but have been in it for 2 years. Which presumably shows responsibility and stability, but the weird part is that this is not common practice with rent. Background checks and credit scores are required when people are buying homes as it is a long-term investment and commitment, but renting is a lot more simple.
On top of having a long-term job, the tenant must have a driver’s license and provide a copy of it with the application. So logically, anyone who doesn’t have a car automatically isn’t eligible to rent the house.
Image credits: Zillow
Image credits: Zillow
Image credits: Zillow
There are more copies of documents the landlord wanted to have. One of them is the tenant’s social security card, which is understandable as it is used for identification. Another thing that the landlord asked to provide were pay stubs for the last 3 months, and the tenant must be earning $6,000 a month, which is $72,000 yearly.
According to the information on World Data, the average yearly income in the US for full-time employees in 2020 was $69,392 or around $5,783. So the landlord expects their tenants to earn a little bit more than the national average.
The landlord wanted the person to have a stable job of 2 years, a car and a salary of at least $6,000 a month
The landlord wanted not only to see the monthly payments but also the copies of form 1040, which is the U.S. Individual Tax Return form or form 1099 which shows non-employment income.
To be able to apply for this house, a person must pay a $75 application fee which is non-refundable. The rent is $2,200 and the deposit is one month’s payment. So in total it should be $4,400, but for some reason the paper states that the total move-in amount is $6,600, which is a whole month’s rent more.
They also wanted to see forms 1040 or 1099 submitted with the application
Many people in the comments found it suspicious that there is an application fee and they advised to never even look at such listings because it is a scam to lure money from people. They also noticed that the total move-in amount was quite a bit bigger than it should be if you do the math correctly.
People in the comments were also pointing out that the place was not worth $2,200 a month because it is in Riverdale, which is a small city with a population of 15,129 people and it is 12 miles (19 km) south of downtown Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia.
Many people pointed out how ridiculous those requirements are
First of all, the math didn’t make sense as the total move-in amount didn’t match up with the prices of the first month and security deposit
The listing of this property is still visible on Zillow even though the house isn’t up for sale or for rent. It is hard to say if the landlord just changed their mind or there was a person who moved in, but there are a lot of things that you can see in the description.
First of all, it was built in 1972 and first sold in 1995 for $69,900. Zillow estimates that now it has a value of $203,800. The last time the property was sold was in 2008 for $40,000. After that, it was listed for rent only on February 2nd of this year. The price was $2,200 in the papers, as Mostlywibbly had said, but the same day, it was lowered to $2,000. Then it was lowered again just two days later to $1,800 but removed the same day.
They also immediately were warded off by the application fee as it is just easy money for the companies
We can only guess what prompted the landlord to change the price so quickly and remove the listing only after 2 days it was put up. Maybe it was actually rented out, because it is a 3-bedroom house with 2 bathrooms that has a fireplace and hardwood floor.
The photos show that it probably was renovated, but looking at them closer, it is evidence that the job was done sloppily and it could be that applicants pointed it out, so the landlord decided to fix the problems to be able to ask for a bigger rent price. It’s up for speculation but it is definitely suspicious.
Finally, they suggested that it might be a scam and that landlords are greedy people in general
What do you think of the requirements to be able to apply for the rent of this property? Do you think it is common for landlords to ask for these things and do you think that the price is fair for what the tenant would be getting? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
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Share on FacebookIf somebody is CLEARING $6,000 a month, they won't need to rent that shitty little shed conversion way outside of Atlanta. They will own their own place and it won't be that. The price is about 2.5 - 3 times the cost of similar properties in that area. Obviously the landlord has been burned by bad tenants (I mean, it's the perfect location for a meth lab), but the valuation is ridiculous. I can understand how horrible it is to have someone default on rent (possibly due to COVID?) and/or trash your property, but he's dreaming if he thinks he will get any of these requirements fulfilled.
Likely an investment property scheme for tax write offs. Anybody with those quals can get a mortgage no problem for a better house for less $ and the property owner knows it. I've seen this many times.
Load More Replies...Ok, as a landlady I have to say this is freaking ridiculous! We don’t do credit score checks because they are NOT indicative of someone’s ability to be a good tenant. We do require one year employment. The tax thing? BS. Also, APPLICATION FEES ARE A SCAM! I go on our state’s judicial case search site, which is free and public information, and look for any landlord/tenant actions or evictions (w/ithe past 4 years). I speak to bosses and supervisors and former landlords. For free. However, if I do find that someone has lied (about employment or rental history) that is a big red flag. But this is nonsense, no matter how badly he has been burned before.
You can do what you want but credit checks DO say something about the applicant. Too many bad renters out there to merely trust them with a $200k asset.
Load More Replies...Um, if your credit score is 640, and you can produce that much documentation at that income level? Unless you're in a huge metro area like NYC/LA? You'll get a mortgage. Also, that much rent on that house if it's in a rural area? LOL, no. Someone bought that house to "flip it" (cosmetic fix-up, re-sell fat) and got into a financial hole they want a tenant to fill in for them. Hubby sees this in his work all the time, and he can rant for hours about "flippers" and their traits as landlords. (None of his rant is poite!)
A quick search of the area shows similar houses renting for around $1,500 per month. Good luck to the landlord getting someone to not only pay above market price, but also agreeing to these crazy terms.
Which is why it's not getting mad about. If the landlord doesn't find a renter, they'll lower the price. If they do find a renter, then that means it's not an unreachable price.
Load More Replies...I'm dealing with the same thing just in another area of GA. My last landlord sold the house and my family and I had to move in with my MIL because we just couldn't find anything to rent that wasn't insanely expensive or require perfect credit and an income of 6000 a month. Like, what else do they want? A blood sacrifice? These property management companies are ripping people off left and right and something has to give.
A blood sacrifice is so outdated. Just 10 years indenture from your first born will do.
Load More Replies...Been homeless since 2020. This is one of the reasons why. The landlords have lost their greedy minds, because they think EVERYONE is making the salaries of the upper echelons of tech companies, such as programmers and engineers.
I am really sorry you are experiencing homelessness. I have too, and my heart goes out to you, because it really is awful. I am sending powerful wishes for an upward trend for you.
Load More Replies...I'll need to see documentation of ownership, proof of one year of mortgage, taxes, business license payments, property insurance policy and payment history, inspection report by a certified building inspector, police and fire records of calls to this address, income-tax statements and criminal background checks from all owners, statements from the account for repair and upkeep, names and references for all repair companies on contract and copies of contracts... Did I miss anything?
Someone in Australia just tried something similar, asking for references for a landlord for a place he'd been offered. Not only did he not get them, but the offer was withdrawn. He got a lot of publicity, but he's now having trouble renting a place. Those arseholes have all the power, while they whinge and whine about how awful tenants are.
Load More Replies...Credit scores are a scam and a tool of oppression.
Load More Replies...A surprisingly large percentage of landlords do not report their rental income. Always do a move-in and move-out walk thru, video on. If there is any dispute, invite the IRS to look at their returns connected to your receipts.
I wouldn't recommend doing that, particularly if it's done for vindictively. First off, it's unlikely a tenant is going to know their landlord's tax situation. The IRS is likely to require identification and some proof (not every agency accepts anonymous tips). Secondly, if the IRS (very likely) finds nothing wrong, then there would very likely be legal ramifications by the landlord... and the IRS.
Load More Replies...Jesus Harold Christ on a Fuxxing Rubber Crutch...that's goxxamn thievery.
Who is making that much money a month on an "average" wage!? Not me.
If I'm taking in $6000/mo I am NOT living in that place. Renting is a sucker deal anyway. You can save a lot of money making 6000/mo to put towards a down payment. Live on the cheap for a year or two and get your own home. This guy is insane
Load More Replies...We bought a house and we're moving out of our rental and they wanted to keep the security deposit cause we didn't mop and wash the windows. The place was being torn down... we swept and cleaned it out. It was torn down days after we moved out. We pushed and pushed and they finally gave us our security deposit back. We lived there 10 years through gas leaks and windows falling off and the floor collapsing in the bathroom. The landlord had the gall to tell me to crack a window in the middle of winter cause the co2 alarm was going off. He said that it was normal for the co2 to go off in the winter even though this was the first winter this ever happened to us. I could go on and on. That landlord died and they sold it to these new guys who were even worse. I don't miss that place at all. I do miss the location though.
This is really pertinent right now for me. Here in the UK they have the Rent to Buy scheme, the idea being that you pay for a new build house for 80% of market value, then save the difference for 5 years. You are then, if you've been a good tenant, offered the chance to apply for a mortgage and potentially buy the house. Sounds OK, right? Found out yesterday that you need to have a combined income of 4 x the annual rent in order to be considered, whereas the normal requirement is 2 x annual rent...but you have to earn under 60k combined to be eligible for the reduced rental price. The place we want means that our combined income needs to be 54,500, so you get a 5,500k margin. It's so counter productive! We're not big earners because the cost of living has far outstripped wages and housing costs are through the roof - especially bad in the private rental market. I am so sick of working my bum off to pay someone's else's mortgage for them. Something has to give.
Im' in the US... a few years ago, I remember reading that rent-to-own deals only pan out for some ridiculously low number of applicants... less than 5% I think. My area is so ridiculous. I am in Florida, a service economy so a lot of low wages for theme park, restaurant and other hospitality jobs, and rents are beyond preposterous. You'd need at least four roommates sharing a small studio to meet the income requirement. I've been thinking about buying up some office space that's sitting empty because of WFH, and converting it to low cost housing...nothing fancy, but clean, safe and affordable. I bet there are some grants I could get to fund conversion too.
Load More Replies...As a former landlord who has had their life's investment destroyed by meth heads and other assorted terrible tenants, I can't blame someone for being extra cautious. I actually sold my rental because people are so awful and the law favors squatters. Not worth the hassle. Yes, there are bad landlords out there, but there are also really bad tenants.
If you want a place, you'd be better off just buying something yourself... if you meet all these requirements, you'd qualify, and there wouldn't be any application fees either. Then, if you want to move, you can rent out the house and cover the mortgage payments. This sounds very scammy to me... especially the app fee.
This is pretty standard for the UK, my partner isnt working due to ill health and despite being able to pay 6 months rent up front and us both having 990s credit scores we were turned down to even view places.
Its absolutely disgusting. Government don't give a toss.
Load More Replies...I left my apartment cleaner than when I got it and was charged a fee for not cleaning the window track. Not the windowsill, the metal track that the window slides on.
I don't get,why one should clean up the apartment after leaving? I mean, obviously you don't leave a mess after you, but professional-level cleaning? After moving out, the landlord anyway has to paint fresh the whole place...
Load More Replies...With the wording I was expecting some up upscale apartment or maybe a lack house. But no. I can see a redneck dream home it's only missing a toilet growing a cactus in the front yard.you know the classy stuff.
Be homeless. You'd be surprised what your dream home looks like. From experience, I can say: roof that doesn't leak, door that locks, four walls, and indoor plumbing.
Load More Replies...Nitpicking, but it's normal for adults in the US to have driver's licenses even when they don't have cars. It's our standard state-issued ID. Of course, very few places in the US have sufficient public transportation, so eith the exception of a few large cities, we need to drive to get places. So yes, it is assumed that everyone has a car.
This is how it is in most, if not all, States in the United States. 640 credit score is barely at a 'fair' rating ('Fair' starts at 620) and is considered too low to rent without a co-signer. You need to show that you make at least 3x's the monthly rent amount. You also have to pay a deposit equal to a full months rent, plus the first month, along with $300 pet deposits per pet and $45 / monthly extra on your monthly rent. Rent from where I'm at is around $950 or higher for a one bedroom, one bath. This is standard in the States, right??
We live in western OK. Just moved the 1st. We pay $600 for a 3 bedroom, with a two car garage . Huge fenced yard with a covered patio and have a little studio mother in law house on the property as well. Prior to moving here we paid $475 for the same, only the yard was smaller and it only had a single car garage. And no extra house. We are about an hour from Oklahoma City, so not too horrible if we want to go somewhere that isn't a small town.
Load More Replies...This is similar to the requirements for the application for this 1 br suite. 4 years working at the same company. 2 years of good rental history. Credit score check, but didn't specify what score was suitable. Must make a certain amount. Or have to have a co-signer with all those criteria and no getting the co-signer off the lease until you move, even if you gain those criterias.
This is pretty standard for my area. It is crazy that to move when you rent you really do need between 5k to 10k More if you have pets
Same here, I wasn’t shocked by the requirements, maybe the tax returns. Credit/criminal checks cost about $50, not $75.
Load More Replies...I wonder how many people didn't realize they added another $2200 onto that move in?
First and last months rent plus damage deposit possibly
Load More Replies...It’s been updated: To Qualify: You must have a 620 credit score, 1 year on Job, valid DL, bring home at least $5,000 monthly, show last 2 months pay stubs & NO PETS.
The only thing I would write in this document would be to say with as much passion as possible: KISS MY ROYAL CANADIAN ASS!
With the amount of info prospective tenants have to provide I'd be concerned about identity theft.
Don’t know how long ago this was written but sadly this is the norm now in Phoenix. And being a right to work state , the average wage is not keeping up!
Landlords who require a 175 question test is plan crazy. They act they are doing you a favor. In a way they are but keep in mind that you are the customer who keeps his business and salary going. He is nothing more than a rental agent. Many buildings are standing almost empty because of these types of screening process. The property should have an area for tenants to use for car washing and lite repairs. That's called an aminity. I hate apartments and condos. I felt like I was living in a shoe box.
This is completely ridiculous! Lol. $6000/month (I know, 3x rent is the preferred monthly income...but still)..:3 years tax records. Yeah, get bent Diane, absolutely not. I will say that a credit/background/application fee is the norm in my town. It's a very competitive college town though. I moved the end of last year and every management company wanted at least $25 at most $75 to run the required reports and so on. They were all non-refundable...some even required an initial $150-$300 deposit BEFORE you even knew if they would accept the application. If you were accepted and did not sign the lease within 3 days, you forfeited the entire thing!! It was seriously shocking and just the search cost me a small fortune.
Just a couple facts but Georgia's per capita income (2019) was $31,067. Which is $2588.91/monthly. But dude wants a guaranteed, verified income of $6K?
If you've ever been a landlord you will not be surprised by some of these. Actually, none of these. I would include a background check for wants and warrants and a DMV report. Nothing like trashy people who have 1st, last, and deposit, but never pay a cent after that and trash the place. Can take 6 months to a year to get someone evicted. By then your rental property will need 10's of thousands of dollars in repairs, paint, floor coverings, perhaps a window or 2.
Why do I need a DL? What does my legal ability to drive have to do with my suitability as a tenant?
They lost me at driver's license and social security card. Hell to the no.
This is actually pretty typical where I live just outside of Boston. They are charging you for a background check so they can get 90% of this information once they run that, not sure why they would need any tax docs and sounds shady to me. But most places- dumps with bars on the windows even- are like 3500 a month and they usually want 1st, last, deposit, pet fee, background check fee and app fee. Which is always hilarious because they could care less about who rents. The building I live in did all the same and I still have crackheads living next to me so not sure what the purpose of all this is. And they always want you to have sooo much more than what you need to afford the rent. Like Jo Choto said- if someone is clearing 6k they aren't going to pay for this.
My home for sure is not the prettiest. I use to rescue pitbulls from this home and had up to 15 in the house at one time . All Carpets are long gone. But Everything works I rent 2 of my 3 rooms. One for 350/m the other 450/m all included 450 has its own bathroom . I've heard stories of how much more people have paid for much less. Only 20 min from Tampa , those who have rented told me I could charge $100 more each . It doesn't seem right to me to raise a price just because I can . But people are hurting . The government only cares for the wealthy . We need to help each other. Last month I lowered the 350 to 300.
Sigh. I remember when Social Security cards clearly stated "Not to be used as identification". You don't need to see my card, I got the stupid number right here. Don't steal my id, beeeech.
So that application fee is how they're making money, just imagine 1 person a day thats 750 in 10 days. It's probably not legal But the police is not going to do anything about it
Which is exactly why we need to start Federally regulating the rental housing industry.
This is common here. Some demand passwords to your bank account, social media, god help you if you don't have 50 references, and over the top bonds that can just about bankrupt you. Housing is absolutely dire. A mortgage application is even worse, don't have 40% deposit you get laughed out of the bank.
That's what happens when landlords have been needing screwed for the last 2 years. I know. You're thinking evil landlords! But while people weren't paying rent, landlords still had mortgage. The banks didn't stop asking for payment. Now y they make sure that the people who rent their properties are qualified and responsible
Good luck Diane . Hope you don’t appear in my office needing something
I read this twice, and comments, too. I'm not a landlord, but bought a little home of my own which I'll be paying on it another few yrs. If the person wants to rent a house, then find another house to rent. These terms are beyond ridiculous. Just keep looking. And if possible, ask your state agency if they can help you find affordable housing, either to buy or rent. I don't know anyone earning $6000.00 monthly that doesn't own their own house. TBH don't know that many earning that amount anyhow.
Credit scores indicate your credit worthiness to pay creditors back. So if you get a car loan, your credit score will be the indicator as to whether you not only get a loan, but the interest rate as well. Even potential employers will check a persons credit score to determine how responsible the person is, or if they have a history of not paying loans back.
Load More Replies...I rent my home in my city because it’s more affordable than living in it. I was lucky enough to pay cash for it and have nearly full equity. The rent prices here are some of the highest, if not the highest. $2200 seemed cheap to me. My tenants (5 flatmates) pay triple that amount. I also asked for salary verification, rental history resume and first/last/security. I opted to interview myself & weeded through 100s of applications. On the two days of showing, nearly 300 applicants showed up. I get I’m sheltered and live in a bubble, but even where my other home is, rent is still double this post. It doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable, only excessive. But then, if there’s no demand in the Georgia sticks like there is in SF and Hawaii, maybe I’m totally clueless.
I'm sorry, your tenants pay 6,600 per month?? Jesus. That's disgusting.
Load More Replies...I had to pay 2 application fees one for me and one for my husband. Not happy about it. I am very happy we’re I live. I feel pretty secure as my husband passed away. The only think I dislike is my neighbors. I don’t know if they are illegal or not. They don’t speak a word of English. Party in there garage at least 3 times a week. Very loud. They have actually made a living room out of their garage. I have never seen them go to work. I don’t know how They got in here Not what I expected for neighbors
Don't like the terms? Don't rent with this person. It is VERY common to require first month's rent, last month's rent, and a security deposit. And many places are VERY careful with ascertaining your finances because it is so hard to evict someone. Many landlords own only a handful of units and must pay mortgages on them. If a renter can't pay rent, it isn't like they have a large pool of funds to draw from. So they can lose everything.
If somebody is CLEARING $6,000 a month, they won't need to rent that shitty little shed conversion way outside of Atlanta. They will own their own place and it won't be that. The price is about 2.5 - 3 times the cost of similar properties in that area. Obviously the landlord has been burned by bad tenants (I mean, it's the perfect location for a meth lab), but the valuation is ridiculous. I can understand how horrible it is to have someone default on rent (possibly due to COVID?) and/or trash your property, but he's dreaming if he thinks he will get any of these requirements fulfilled.
Likely an investment property scheme for tax write offs. Anybody with those quals can get a mortgage no problem for a better house for less $ and the property owner knows it. I've seen this many times.
Load More Replies...Ok, as a landlady I have to say this is freaking ridiculous! We don’t do credit score checks because they are NOT indicative of someone’s ability to be a good tenant. We do require one year employment. The tax thing? BS. Also, APPLICATION FEES ARE A SCAM! I go on our state’s judicial case search site, which is free and public information, and look for any landlord/tenant actions or evictions (w/ithe past 4 years). I speak to bosses and supervisors and former landlords. For free. However, if I do find that someone has lied (about employment or rental history) that is a big red flag. But this is nonsense, no matter how badly he has been burned before.
You can do what you want but credit checks DO say something about the applicant. Too many bad renters out there to merely trust them with a $200k asset.
Load More Replies...Um, if your credit score is 640, and you can produce that much documentation at that income level? Unless you're in a huge metro area like NYC/LA? You'll get a mortgage. Also, that much rent on that house if it's in a rural area? LOL, no. Someone bought that house to "flip it" (cosmetic fix-up, re-sell fat) and got into a financial hole they want a tenant to fill in for them. Hubby sees this in his work all the time, and he can rant for hours about "flippers" and their traits as landlords. (None of his rant is poite!)
A quick search of the area shows similar houses renting for around $1,500 per month. Good luck to the landlord getting someone to not only pay above market price, but also agreeing to these crazy terms.
Which is why it's not getting mad about. If the landlord doesn't find a renter, they'll lower the price. If they do find a renter, then that means it's not an unreachable price.
Load More Replies...I'm dealing with the same thing just in another area of GA. My last landlord sold the house and my family and I had to move in with my MIL because we just couldn't find anything to rent that wasn't insanely expensive or require perfect credit and an income of 6000 a month. Like, what else do they want? A blood sacrifice? These property management companies are ripping people off left and right and something has to give.
A blood sacrifice is so outdated. Just 10 years indenture from your first born will do.
Load More Replies...Been homeless since 2020. This is one of the reasons why. The landlords have lost their greedy minds, because they think EVERYONE is making the salaries of the upper echelons of tech companies, such as programmers and engineers.
I am really sorry you are experiencing homelessness. I have too, and my heart goes out to you, because it really is awful. I am sending powerful wishes for an upward trend for you.
Load More Replies...I'll need to see documentation of ownership, proof of one year of mortgage, taxes, business license payments, property insurance policy and payment history, inspection report by a certified building inspector, police and fire records of calls to this address, income-tax statements and criminal background checks from all owners, statements from the account for repair and upkeep, names and references for all repair companies on contract and copies of contracts... Did I miss anything?
Someone in Australia just tried something similar, asking for references for a landlord for a place he'd been offered. Not only did he not get them, but the offer was withdrawn. He got a lot of publicity, but he's now having trouble renting a place. Those arseholes have all the power, while they whinge and whine about how awful tenants are.
Load More Replies...Credit scores are a scam and a tool of oppression.
Load More Replies...A surprisingly large percentage of landlords do not report their rental income. Always do a move-in and move-out walk thru, video on. If there is any dispute, invite the IRS to look at their returns connected to your receipts.
I wouldn't recommend doing that, particularly if it's done for vindictively. First off, it's unlikely a tenant is going to know their landlord's tax situation. The IRS is likely to require identification and some proof (not every agency accepts anonymous tips). Secondly, if the IRS (very likely) finds nothing wrong, then there would very likely be legal ramifications by the landlord... and the IRS.
Load More Replies...Jesus Harold Christ on a Fuxxing Rubber Crutch...that's goxxamn thievery.
Who is making that much money a month on an "average" wage!? Not me.
If I'm taking in $6000/mo I am NOT living in that place. Renting is a sucker deal anyway. You can save a lot of money making 6000/mo to put towards a down payment. Live on the cheap for a year or two and get your own home. This guy is insane
Load More Replies...We bought a house and we're moving out of our rental and they wanted to keep the security deposit cause we didn't mop and wash the windows. The place was being torn down... we swept and cleaned it out. It was torn down days after we moved out. We pushed and pushed and they finally gave us our security deposit back. We lived there 10 years through gas leaks and windows falling off and the floor collapsing in the bathroom. The landlord had the gall to tell me to crack a window in the middle of winter cause the co2 alarm was going off. He said that it was normal for the co2 to go off in the winter even though this was the first winter this ever happened to us. I could go on and on. That landlord died and they sold it to these new guys who were even worse. I don't miss that place at all. I do miss the location though.
This is really pertinent right now for me. Here in the UK they have the Rent to Buy scheme, the idea being that you pay for a new build house for 80% of market value, then save the difference for 5 years. You are then, if you've been a good tenant, offered the chance to apply for a mortgage and potentially buy the house. Sounds OK, right? Found out yesterday that you need to have a combined income of 4 x the annual rent in order to be considered, whereas the normal requirement is 2 x annual rent...but you have to earn under 60k combined to be eligible for the reduced rental price. The place we want means that our combined income needs to be 54,500, so you get a 5,500k margin. It's so counter productive! We're not big earners because the cost of living has far outstripped wages and housing costs are through the roof - especially bad in the private rental market. I am so sick of working my bum off to pay someone's else's mortgage for them. Something has to give.
Im' in the US... a few years ago, I remember reading that rent-to-own deals only pan out for some ridiculously low number of applicants... less than 5% I think. My area is so ridiculous. I am in Florida, a service economy so a lot of low wages for theme park, restaurant and other hospitality jobs, and rents are beyond preposterous. You'd need at least four roommates sharing a small studio to meet the income requirement. I've been thinking about buying up some office space that's sitting empty because of WFH, and converting it to low cost housing...nothing fancy, but clean, safe and affordable. I bet there are some grants I could get to fund conversion too.
Load More Replies...As a former landlord who has had their life's investment destroyed by meth heads and other assorted terrible tenants, I can't blame someone for being extra cautious. I actually sold my rental because people are so awful and the law favors squatters. Not worth the hassle. Yes, there are bad landlords out there, but there are also really bad tenants.
If you want a place, you'd be better off just buying something yourself... if you meet all these requirements, you'd qualify, and there wouldn't be any application fees either. Then, if you want to move, you can rent out the house and cover the mortgage payments. This sounds very scammy to me... especially the app fee.
This is pretty standard for the UK, my partner isnt working due to ill health and despite being able to pay 6 months rent up front and us both having 990s credit scores we were turned down to even view places.
Its absolutely disgusting. Government don't give a toss.
Load More Replies...I left my apartment cleaner than when I got it and was charged a fee for not cleaning the window track. Not the windowsill, the metal track that the window slides on.
I don't get,why one should clean up the apartment after leaving? I mean, obviously you don't leave a mess after you, but professional-level cleaning? After moving out, the landlord anyway has to paint fresh the whole place...
Load More Replies...With the wording I was expecting some up upscale apartment or maybe a lack house. But no. I can see a redneck dream home it's only missing a toilet growing a cactus in the front yard.you know the classy stuff.
Be homeless. You'd be surprised what your dream home looks like. From experience, I can say: roof that doesn't leak, door that locks, four walls, and indoor plumbing.
Load More Replies...Nitpicking, but it's normal for adults in the US to have driver's licenses even when they don't have cars. It's our standard state-issued ID. Of course, very few places in the US have sufficient public transportation, so eith the exception of a few large cities, we need to drive to get places. So yes, it is assumed that everyone has a car.
This is how it is in most, if not all, States in the United States. 640 credit score is barely at a 'fair' rating ('Fair' starts at 620) and is considered too low to rent without a co-signer. You need to show that you make at least 3x's the monthly rent amount. You also have to pay a deposit equal to a full months rent, plus the first month, along with $300 pet deposits per pet and $45 / monthly extra on your monthly rent. Rent from where I'm at is around $950 or higher for a one bedroom, one bath. This is standard in the States, right??
We live in western OK. Just moved the 1st. We pay $600 for a 3 bedroom, with a two car garage . Huge fenced yard with a covered patio and have a little studio mother in law house on the property as well. Prior to moving here we paid $475 for the same, only the yard was smaller and it only had a single car garage. And no extra house. We are about an hour from Oklahoma City, so not too horrible if we want to go somewhere that isn't a small town.
Load More Replies...This is similar to the requirements for the application for this 1 br suite. 4 years working at the same company. 2 years of good rental history. Credit score check, but didn't specify what score was suitable. Must make a certain amount. Or have to have a co-signer with all those criteria and no getting the co-signer off the lease until you move, even if you gain those criterias.
This is pretty standard for my area. It is crazy that to move when you rent you really do need between 5k to 10k More if you have pets
Same here, I wasn’t shocked by the requirements, maybe the tax returns. Credit/criminal checks cost about $50, not $75.
Load More Replies...I wonder how many people didn't realize they added another $2200 onto that move in?
First and last months rent plus damage deposit possibly
Load More Replies...It’s been updated: To Qualify: You must have a 620 credit score, 1 year on Job, valid DL, bring home at least $5,000 monthly, show last 2 months pay stubs & NO PETS.
The only thing I would write in this document would be to say with as much passion as possible: KISS MY ROYAL CANADIAN ASS!
With the amount of info prospective tenants have to provide I'd be concerned about identity theft.
Don’t know how long ago this was written but sadly this is the norm now in Phoenix. And being a right to work state , the average wage is not keeping up!
Landlords who require a 175 question test is plan crazy. They act they are doing you a favor. In a way they are but keep in mind that you are the customer who keeps his business and salary going. He is nothing more than a rental agent. Many buildings are standing almost empty because of these types of screening process. The property should have an area for tenants to use for car washing and lite repairs. That's called an aminity. I hate apartments and condos. I felt like I was living in a shoe box.
This is completely ridiculous! Lol. $6000/month (I know, 3x rent is the preferred monthly income...but still)..:3 years tax records. Yeah, get bent Diane, absolutely not. I will say that a credit/background/application fee is the norm in my town. It's a very competitive college town though. I moved the end of last year and every management company wanted at least $25 at most $75 to run the required reports and so on. They were all non-refundable...some even required an initial $150-$300 deposit BEFORE you even knew if they would accept the application. If you were accepted and did not sign the lease within 3 days, you forfeited the entire thing!! It was seriously shocking and just the search cost me a small fortune.
Just a couple facts but Georgia's per capita income (2019) was $31,067. Which is $2588.91/monthly. But dude wants a guaranteed, verified income of $6K?
If you've ever been a landlord you will not be surprised by some of these. Actually, none of these. I would include a background check for wants and warrants and a DMV report. Nothing like trashy people who have 1st, last, and deposit, but never pay a cent after that and trash the place. Can take 6 months to a year to get someone evicted. By then your rental property will need 10's of thousands of dollars in repairs, paint, floor coverings, perhaps a window or 2.
Why do I need a DL? What does my legal ability to drive have to do with my suitability as a tenant?
They lost me at driver's license and social security card. Hell to the no.
This is actually pretty typical where I live just outside of Boston. They are charging you for a background check so they can get 90% of this information once they run that, not sure why they would need any tax docs and sounds shady to me. But most places- dumps with bars on the windows even- are like 3500 a month and they usually want 1st, last, deposit, pet fee, background check fee and app fee. Which is always hilarious because they could care less about who rents. The building I live in did all the same and I still have crackheads living next to me so not sure what the purpose of all this is. And they always want you to have sooo much more than what you need to afford the rent. Like Jo Choto said- if someone is clearing 6k they aren't going to pay for this.
My home for sure is not the prettiest. I use to rescue pitbulls from this home and had up to 15 in the house at one time . All Carpets are long gone. But Everything works I rent 2 of my 3 rooms. One for 350/m the other 450/m all included 450 has its own bathroom . I've heard stories of how much more people have paid for much less. Only 20 min from Tampa , those who have rented told me I could charge $100 more each . It doesn't seem right to me to raise a price just because I can . But people are hurting . The government only cares for the wealthy . We need to help each other. Last month I lowered the 350 to 300.
Sigh. I remember when Social Security cards clearly stated "Not to be used as identification". You don't need to see my card, I got the stupid number right here. Don't steal my id, beeeech.
So that application fee is how they're making money, just imagine 1 person a day thats 750 in 10 days. It's probably not legal But the police is not going to do anything about it
Which is exactly why we need to start Federally regulating the rental housing industry.
This is common here. Some demand passwords to your bank account, social media, god help you if you don't have 50 references, and over the top bonds that can just about bankrupt you. Housing is absolutely dire. A mortgage application is even worse, don't have 40% deposit you get laughed out of the bank.
That's what happens when landlords have been needing screwed for the last 2 years. I know. You're thinking evil landlords! But while people weren't paying rent, landlords still had mortgage. The banks didn't stop asking for payment. Now y they make sure that the people who rent their properties are qualified and responsible
Good luck Diane . Hope you don’t appear in my office needing something
I read this twice, and comments, too. I'm not a landlord, but bought a little home of my own which I'll be paying on it another few yrs. If the person wants to rent a house, then find another house to rent. These terms are beyond ridiculous. Just keep looking. And if possible, ask your state agency if they can help you find affordable housing, either to buy or rent. I don't know anyone earning $6000.00 monthly that doesn't own their own house. TBH don't know that many earning that amount anyhow.
Credit scores indicate your credit worthiness to pay creditors back. So if you get a car loan, your credit score will be the indicator as to whether you not only get a loan, but the interest rate as well. Even potential employers will check a persons credit score to determine how responsible the person is, or if they have a history of not paying loans back.
Load More Replies...I rent my home in my city because it’s more affordable than living in it. I was lucky enough to pay cash for it and have nearly full equity. The rent prices here are some of the highest, if not the highest. $2200 seemed cheap to me. My tenants (5 flatmates) pay triple that amount. I also asked for salary verification, rental history resume and first/last/security. I opted to interview myself & weeded through 100s of applications. On the two days of showing, nearly 300 applicants showed up. I get I’m sheltered and live in a bubble, but even where my other home is, rent is still double this post. It doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable, only excessive. But then, if there’s no demand in the Georgia sticks like there is in SF and Hawaii, maybe I’m totally clueless.
I'm sorry, your tenants pay 6,600 per month?? Jesus. That's disgusting.
Load More Replies...I had to pay 2 application fees one for me and one for my husband. Not happy about it. I am very happy we’re I live. I feel pretty secure as my husband passed away. The only think I dislike is my neighbors. I don’t know if they are illegal or not. They don’t speak a word of English. Party in there garage at least 3 times a week. Very loud. They have actually made a living room out of their garage. I have never seen them go to work. I don’t know how They got in here Not what I expected for neighbors
Don't like the terms? Don't rent with this person. It is VERY common to require first month's rent, last month's rent, and a security deposit. And many places are VERY careful with ascertaining your finances because it is so hard to evict someone. Many landlords own only a handful of units and must pay mortgages on them. If a renter can't pay rent, it isn't like they have a large pool of funds to draw from. So they can lose everything.
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