# How common is it for landlords to screen tenants before showing them the property? If so, why do they do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Landlord Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854 "2020-01-30T18:21:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jared](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@Jared](https://community.avail.com/u/Jared)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/1 "2020-01-30T18:21:14Z")
I’ve heard of some landlords requiring tenants to submit rental applications before allowing them to view the property, so I wanted to know why they do this and if it’s technically even allowed? ---
**Author:** ![jeremy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.avail.com/jeremy/32/165_2.png) [@jeremy](https://community.avail.com/u/jeremy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/2 "2020-02-05T00:32:29Z")
That’s crazy! As a tenant I would never pay an application fee _before_ even seeing a rental unit. I can understand that a landlord would want to make sure they’re not wasting their time showing their unit to someone who may not pass the screen process. However, I think it’s much more unreasonable to ask someone to pay $50-100 just to see a unit than for a landlord to take 10 minutes to show the place. I think that a landlord who does this will have a much more difficult time showing/renting their unit than one who does not. ---
**Author:** ![MiddleVillageRentals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MiddleVillageRentals](https://community.avail.com/u/MiddleVillageRentals)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 2:15am UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/3 "2020-02-05T02:15:17Z")
I make them fill out a brief questionnaire before showing them the property. i don’t have time to show the property to 50 people that are not qualified. I just ask them about their income, credit score, pets, smoking, etc and then after i show them the apartment they can fill out the complete application and do the credit check. I tell them up front before they look at the apt what the minimum income and credit score is for the apartment. Also, if I say $60,000 is the minimal salary, that does not mean I will let 4 college kids that earn $15,000 each live in a studio apartment. ---
**Author:** ![Keefer-Investments](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.avail.com/keefer-investments/32/167_2.png) [@Keefer-Investments](https://community.avail.com/u/Keefer-Investments)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/4 "2020-02-11T16:06:16Z")
This is exactly how we do it, too. We use a Google form to collect the basic information and if they can’t be bothered to spend 2 minutes filling out a Google form to tell us a little about themselves, then I can’t be bothered to go do a showing. Works great! ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Eric](https://community.avail.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/5 "2020-02-11T16:08:37Z")
Exactly! Pre-screen potential tenants, but do not charge them until they decide to apply for the property. I use a google form to ask them: email address name phone number names of all other tenants over 18 gross income of tenants does anyone smoke do you have evictions, or in process of being evicted describe your pets are you willing to do a background and credit check I have never had a serious potential tenant have an issue with answering these questions. But to charge a fee at this point is not appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![MiddleVillageRentals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MiddleVillageRentals](https://community.avail.com/u/MiddleVillageRentals)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/6 "2020-02-11T16:35:18Z")
I also ask them for their credit score. Their debt to income ratio needs to be less than 33% and I want their credit score over 700. Too many people owe $100,000 or more on student loans. ---
**Author:** ![D.G.Familyunites1st](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.avail.com/d.g.familyunites1st/32/172_2.png) [@D.G.Familyunites1st](https://community.avail.com/u/D.G.Familyunites1st)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 10:00am UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/7 "2020-02-14T10:00:55Z")
ITS ACTUALLY QUITE COMMON HERE. WHY ? 1ST THE OWNER LIKEs TO MEET IN PERSON WITH SAID FUTURE TENANTS AND SHOW THE PLACE. THEN TO Interact to SEE IF THEY LIKE THE LOCATION AND LIKE THE HOUSE SECONDLY, GO OVER RULES AND RUGULATIONS AND AGREEMENT & THEN ITS UP TO THEM TO FILL OUT APP AND PAY FOR IT. WHICH HE ACTUALLY USES COMPANIES TO REVIEW APP .THEN PROCEEDS WITH A LETTER OF DENIAL OR APPROVAL. [ SOMETIMES THE RECORDS ARE EXPUNGED . WHICH HE HAS NO CONTROL. ---
**Author:** ![RentWithPete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RentWithPete](https://community.avail.com/u/RentWithPete)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/8 "2021-01-13T21:19:51Z")
Experienced landlords will often pre-screen tenant prospects to make sure they would meet the requirements of the property. If your rental property is available June 1st, showing it to a prospect that can’t move until September may not make sense. If the prospective tenant has pets that don’t fit your pet policy you are wasting their time by showing them a property they can’t bring their pets to. Does the prospect have a credit rating that would make them an approvable candidate? Is their employment subject to furlough or layoff? Do they have good rental history? Pre-screening prospects cuts down on the number of showings to prospects that aren’t a fit. During the pandemic of 2020 limiting in-person showings was a best practice. Video tours, and live virtual showings became common during a time when seeing a property in-person was not recommended, was restricted, or was not possible. As a tenant prospect trying to find a home to rent, looking at properties that aren’t a fit is not a productive use of your time and can be an inconvenience to the tenants who live in those properties. ---
**Author:** ![potterkenw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@potterkenw](https://community.avail.com/u/potterkenw)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/9 "2021-01-15T19:10:02Z")
I have started requiring this, as of late, for a few reasons. The rental markets where I have a few of my units are very hot right now. Many many people today are used to doing business on the internet. They can see the inside, outside, and details of almost any property without leaving their desk. I can provide room measurements, 360 walk through video, etc. They buy clothes online without trying them on first, right? I always suggest they drive through the neighborhood to see if it is acceptable to them. See the location of the unit (poolside condo, greenspace, etc.) In some cases, if they aren’t familiar with the neighborhood, they may not show up once they drive to the area. This is a waste of my time as well. Some property managers do not want to host “open houses” or have mass amounts of people going through a property during the pandemic. This is especially true if the property is currently tenant occupied, and may even violate some of the current pandemic restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![Ramon\_Alvarez](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.avail.com/ramon_alvarez/32/564_2.png) [@Ramon\_Alvarez](https://community.avail.com/u/Ramon_Alvarez)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2021, 10:02pm UTC](https://community.avail.com/t/how-common-is-it-for-landlords-to-screen-tenants-before-showing-them-the-property-if-so-why-do-they-do-this/854/10 "2021-08-14T22:02:04Z")
I definitely pre-screen the tenant on the phone before booking a showing. If they qualify then good proceed on! If they don’t qualify let them know and move on to the next.