Landlord Application

"Making the rental process fair!"

A form completed by the landlord and given to the prospective renter

I would like to tackle the inequality between landlord and renter with respect to the rental application process. In many places in the US, the rental applicant is required to provide detailed and private information while the prospective landlord is not obligated to disclose any; this is unjust.

Typically, the required information consists of:

• contacts of last two landlords
• place of work and manager's contact
• credit report and credit card number
• social security number
• photocopies of identity documents (passport, driver's license)

The rental applicants provide private and confidential information to enable the prospective landlord to inquire about their past in order to evaluate them as tenants; however, the renters have no real means for doing the same. Essentially, they can not validate a single thing the landlord is saying and can only trust their intuition. The current customary process is biased against the renter and this has to change (man, it's aggravating!)

This is a little off topic, but from a privacy standpoint, this process is highly insecure. The applicant hands all the information needed for identity theft to the landlord on a silver platter. The landlord may receive dozens of such applications and the disposal of these is left to his/her discretion. If I were a crook, I'd either set up a rental place and keep accepting applications or do some "dumpster diving" near a recently rented unit or apartment complex. This will ensure a steady supply of fresh identities to assume. Currently, there is no formal process of making the landlord dispose of these applications in a safe/secure manner. And if one refuses to provide the personal information to begin with, they are bound to be rejected. When I fill an application, I reluctantly provide the information I deem necessary to get the place and ask that the application be discarded in a secure manner. When I leave a rental, I request all my documents back (mainly for the sake of me feeling better.)

I suggest a webpage that will provide a reasonable solution to this bias by providing an equivalent to the rental application, the "landlord application." This is an application that the landlord completes and provides as a counter to the customary rental application. The following information should be included on such a form:

• contacts of last two tenants

In order to hear a more objective view of the rental, it is a good idea to talk to previous tenants. They will tell you of the leaking faucet, creaky ceiling, why they left and if the landlord stole from their deposit. Practically, they will tell you what the landlord never will.

• landlord's full name and address

This will enable the renter to inquire with the local courthouse if there are/were any cases brought against this landlord. For example, you might find out that they have been sued for an unjust deposit deduction several times. You might find other things that will make you shy away from the place.

• number of people, occupation and ages of people living in house (if shared)

This is a given, but I think this should go on paper rather than as just a conversational item.

• landlord's place of work

Although not critical, this is useful information to have as part of the renter's evaluation process.

Ultimately, I would like to see this as common practice and part of a formalized process that is mandated by law. Currently, a landlord will typically label the one who asks too many questions as an "undesirable." But it has to start somewhere, and the more people asking for the above information, the more it will become mainstream. Landlord will resists, naturally; they just had it too good for too long: ZERO accountability, and that's hard to give up. If it a "renter's market", this will be more appealing to landlords because they need to compete over the applicants and want to show their glorious past (it might even make them treat the current tenants better, so they recommend them in the future.) However, in a "landlord market," landlords get down right abusive and treat current and prospective renters more like cash cows than people (renting in the silicon valley during the "boom" was pure hell so I know what that is like.)

In the Bay Area, a studio will run for about $800 - $1000 a month; that's about $12,000 yearly (including utilities and all.) Who in their right mind pay that sum for anything other than a rental under the current conditions? Think about it: the seller is unknown, no records are available, only superficial inspection is allowed before purchase, you can't ask too many questions and there is no return policy! Would you buy a car like that? Both parties should check the history of each other and the property's so they can make a knowledgeable "purchase" rather than take a chance.

Everyone needs to know who they are entering an agreement with; it should not be as one-sided as it is today. Typically, disgruntled tenants give up going to court over grievances because it just takes too many resources (financially and mentally) and that plays into the landlord's hands. It is much better to know what you are getting into up front and avoid the aftermath.

If a webpage ever comes about, it could also host a database of rental properties ratings and reviews reported by tenants. Currently, there is apartmentratings.com, but it only covers apartment complexes.

If you'd like to work on such a project, feel free to do so; I'll help as much as I can.

Your comment are much appreciated.

"Landlord Application" sample form I created; use it as you please.

Here's my related post on halfbakery.com.

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