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Rental Criteria that we implement for screening prospective tenants...

Seattle Consultant LLC 

Criteria we use to select prospective Tenants:



 RENTAL CRITERIA AND APPLICATION DISCLOSURE 

 The following information will be accessed as part of the screening of any applications for tenancy: 

  •  All information on your Application for Tenancy.
  •  Your rental history via any identifiable prior Landlords 
  •  Credit reports via a third party Consumer Reporting Agency 
  •  Public records regarding registration as a sex offender 
  •  Personal references. 
  •  Verification of employment and/or income (or rental subsidy)amounts. 
  •  Public records regarding civil court records. 
  •  Any other information provided by the applicant (such as anticipated length of tenancy, tenancy commencement date, etc.). 
  •  Any offers or proposals you may choose to make to us (additional rent or deposit funds, extended lease term, guarantors or co-signers, etc.).
  • Your credit screening will be completed by Zillow Rental Manager. 

In the event of a denial of tenancy or other adverse action, you have the right to dispute the accuracy in the consumer report and to request a free copy from:

TransUnion Consumer Relations, 
2 Baldwin Place, 
PO Box 1000, 
Chester, PA 19022. 
Phone: 1-800-888-4213. 
www.transunion.com/myoptions. 

General Information: 

  •  Rental property, at this time, will be offered through the services of Zillow 
  •  An Open House appointment will be offered when the listing is posted for applicants to view the property and meet the Property Manager 
  •  Applications will be reviewed and considered in accordance of the date of receipt by Zillow. 
  •  Applicant on time for showing appointment, or timely call to reschedule (failure to do so results in denial of the application). 
  •  Positive government issued picture ID for all adult (over 18 years of age or emancipated minor) occupants (failure to provide ID results in denial of the application). 
  •  Fully completed application, without material omissions, for every occupant (over 18 years of age or emancipated minor), with no material mis-statements or omissions. 
  •  Applicant must have established credit to apply. Applicants with no credit established will not be considered.
  • Demonstration of ability to pay complete deposit and prepaid rent requirements prior to occupancy (inability to pay the rent results in denial of the application – see income/credit requirements). 
  • Applications will not be reviewed until received in full. Groups of more than one applicant will not be considered until the applications from all members of the group are received. NOTE: Application fees to Landlord’s tenant screening vendor must be received by that vendor before the application can be processed. Income/Credit Requirements: 
  •  General rule is that income from the applicant(s) intending to sign the lease must equal or exceed 2.5 X Rent. You may include alternative sources of income as defined in SMC 14.08. Except in the cases of rental housing subsidies falling within SMC 14.08.040(F), income that does not meet this threshold results in denial of the application. 
  • NOTE: In the event of more than one unrelated parties intending to reside in the property, there will only be one applicant responsible for the lease with the required income ratio with other parties as authorized occupants of property. In the event the responsible party does not meet the necessary rental income ratio, then a fully qualified guarantor can be utilized, however, the ultimate responsibility for the execution of the lease will be the sole responsibility of the single applicant.
  • Proof of adequate income (or reserves) to verify ability to pay rent on time throughout the lease term (select one or more):
  •  Verification of employment and salary/wages. 
  •  Recent paystubs from verifiable employer 
  •  Tax return copies for self-employed applicants. 
  •  Proof of regular investment earnings, social security or other form of governmental rental supplement. 
  •  Any additional sources of income that applicant wishes to disclose (i.e. child or spousal support, trust income, financial reserves, etc...). 
  •  Any rental subsidies which you wish us to consider. 

 NOTE: Exceptions to minimum income requirements are applicable for Section 8/subsidized applicants as provided in SMC 14.08.040(F). 
  •  Favorable credit history free of negative credit issues which may indicate that the applicant has a pattern of failure to timely pay financial obligations. Any credit records shown on a credit report as delinquent, charged off or unpaid are grounds for denial of tenancy. Any open bankruptcy case(s) are grounds for denial of tenancy. 

 Rental History: 

  •  For applicants with prior rental history, favorable references must be received from minimum of last two landlords (i.e., timely rent payment, no damage in excess of normal wear and tear, no documented rules violations, timely issuance of notices of intent to vacate and compliance therewith). Any negative history from a prior landlord is grounds for denial of tenancy. 
  • For applicants without prior rental history, adequate personal references for equivalent to two favorable past landlord references. Absence of such references will result in denial of the application. - If your former landlord(s) do not respond to requests for information within 48 hours of being contacted, that will result in denial of the application due to unavailability of verifiable favorable rental history. * Set minimum income requirement appropriate for the rental unit.  

 Additional Grounds for Denial of Applications (based upon civil court records, or references): 

  • Reasonable likelihood that a past history of abuse of alcohol may or will interfere with the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment by other members of the community. 
  • Reasonable likelihood that a past history of use of illegal drugs (or unauthorized use of legal drugs) may or will interfere with the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment by other members of the community. 
  • Reasonable likelihood that a past history of applicant or those acting under his or her control will interfere with the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment by neighbors or other members of the community. 
  • Reasonable likelihood that a past history of applicant or those acting under his or her control will cause damage or destruction to the dwelling unit or surrounding property. Reasonable likelihood based on income and credit that the applicant will not be able to timely satisfy the financial obligations of tenancy. 
  • Reasonable likelihood based on rental and personal history that the applicant may cause damage to the property, or become a nuisance to neighbors or the community. Due to unavailability of the Property. Even very well qualified applicants may be denied if another application for the property has already been approved. Please note that, while equivalent applications are processed in the order received, such other factors as the requested date of the commencement of tenancy, or an applicant offering a higher rent amount may result in priority of another application. 

 NOTE: 

  • In case of multiple applicants intending to share the property together, disapproval of one applicant terminates the application unless the non-disapproved applicant(s) elect to resubmit their application without the disapproved applicant. 
  •  Applications are pre-reviewed in the order in which completed applications and the application fee are received by Zillow. If applying as part of a group of residents planning to live together, the application is not complete until all proposed residents’ applications have been received and the processing fee paid. After preliminary screening, applications which do not appear to meet our Rental Criteria will be notified and will not be passed along for further review. Applications which appear to meet our Rental Criteria will be moved forward for screening based upon the order received, excluding those applications which do not meet those Rental Criteria. 
  • We do not accept “comprehensive reusable tenant screening reports.” 

 Guarantors 

  • This section for properties willing to accept a Guarantor. Warning: Out of State Guarantors cannot be taken to small claims court to obtain a court ordered judgment: 
  • Applicants who do not meet our minimum criteria based upon income and/or credit requirements may propose a Guarantor. Guarantors are not accepted where the prior landlord or personal references do not meet our minimum criteria. Any Guarantor Must have no unpaid collections, no open bankruptcy cases and sufficient income to cover personal debt and applicant rent. 

 Specific Information for Subject Property: 

  •  Smoking Prohibited: [ X] YES [ ] NO 
  •  Pets Prohibited: [ ] YES [ ] NO - 
  •  Lease Term: [X] 12 month minimum required 
  •  Co-Signers Accepted: [ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] income/credit only
  •  Renter’s Insurance Required: [ X ] YES [ ] NO 
  •  Maximum Occupants: [ ] Two per bedroom [ ] Other:  (NOTE: other occupancy maximums may apply when the resident is participating in a housing subsidy program). 
  •  Minimum Security Deposit: $______  (One month's rent)
  •  Last month’s Rent Required: [ ] YES [ ] NO 

 To apply for tenancy:

 After viewing the details of the property through Zillow or affiliated rental website, applicant will submit through Zillow an application and obtain a credit report for review by Property Manager. On the Zillow site there will be a note of when the initial Open House will be held for applicants to review the property and meet the Property Manager. If the applicant qualifies, and after he has toured the property, the application will then be reviewed by the property manager to proceed with the leasing of the property in the order of applications received by Zillow that will be time stamped. You must first have a tour of the interior and exterior of the building. Applications are not accepted unless all applicants have viewed the property. For applicants from out of the area, one member of the group of residents or another individual identified by the applicant must visit the property in person and use skype, facetime, or another interactive “real time” method of taking a virtual tour of the property on behalf of those not present in person. Send a confirming email to (owner/manager email) so we know to look for your application. Include with the email a photograph of your government issued ID. An application without proof of identity is not complete. Remember that all residents over 18 years of age must submit a separate application and in the case of a group of occupants, the application will not be considered to be complete until all members of the group have submitted their application. The other occupants of property will only require a background check in supplement of the responsible applicant. If you are approved for tenancy, you must accept the offer within __8_____(hours) in writing and pay a holding deposit of $_500.00_by cash or certified funds (certified check or money order) within 48 hours of the time we notify you. If you wish to accept tenancy, you must agree to the occupancy and rent commencement date set forth in the offer you receive. 
           
AUTOMATIC DENIAL: Falsification of any information on the rental application Criminal history that include felony or misdemeanor convictions or pending charges for crimes that represent threats to persons or property Failure to satisfy the income requirement Failure to satisfy the minimum score based on the model Bankruptcy in process. Eviction by a previous landlord for cause. Previous property management balance owed/collections.
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