Social Security Or Drivers License Number?
Hello All,
I have a prospective Tenant who is reluctant to fill her Social Security Number on the application. She says that she is not comfortable giving that information to just anyone. I slightly understand her concern seeing as this is my first rental and I really don't have any big company backing me up.
My questions are: How can I convince her that it is okay for her to give me her SSN? If she is still reluctant, is it possible to perform a background check with her Driver's License Number instead?
It is possible that she is legitimately concerned or it is possible that she has such bad credit that she doesn't want it to come up. Either way, should I just reject her as an applicant? I have read numerous times that a bad tenant is much worse than no tenant. How do I verify her suitability given these conditions? She is the first prospective tenant that has seriously expressed an interest in about one month of advertising.
I refuse to become desperate but I will have a hard time making the payments on an empty unit if I don't get a tenant soon.
Thanks for your advice,
JS. :-?
a bad tenant is not better than none-- a bad one can destroy the property, hang you out for six months with no rents... In order to run a credit report you need the social, and you want to see drivers licence or id to verify she is who she says she is. You might tell her that you need five letters of credit reference ie: cable, gas, telephone, bank card etc stating she paid on time for a year. Call and verify the letters are real. You made this investment with hard earned money and your credit, explain to her that although you understand her feelings- you have to verify that her credit is good to make the payments. Tenant would be hard pressed to find a landlord who does not know her who would rent without the SS1 #. Would you let a stranger move in your home?
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I'd definitely be susupicious. What does your "gut" tell you about her? Does she have a checking account? A credit card? There are people out there who are paranoid about releasing such information and if i was convinced she was one of those I might still take her. But I'd propbably want to talk to her current landlord, look at her current apartment. If she has a credit card from a major issuer I'd probably let her in. If is from one of those banks which specialize in people with bad credit I'd take a pass.
tell the perspective tenant this is the real world, and any time someone extends credit to someone they will check there payment history.
Are you not in effect extending them credit so to speak, in the form of use of your property, which you expect to be renumerated for each month just like a lending institution. It just happens to be in advance.
basically, I tell all tenants you called for the house or apt, and this is part of the rental process. it is the same as applying for a job, credit card, loan, ect. When people tell me they feel "uncomfortable" about their social security number. i tell them they cannot complete the application without it.
I don't even run a credit check but I would need it to place a judgement. (worse case scenario).
Don't start settleling for less you will be sorry in the end
Lori
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no social, no rent. it not worth the potential headache.....ggod luck...kenmax
It is possible that she is nervous about giving the Soc. Sec. Number. You really need it if you are going to run credit. Almost everything is tied to that. Of course she must show her drivers license. Please confirm that it is her. Also might check the Soc.Sec. might be on the drivers license.
It is usualy an indication that she has something to hide. I start to talk and work away at the lady until she will feel free to give you the Soc. Sec. No. I have had occasions when she would break down and inform me of her terrible credit usualy caused by a husband who may now be gone. I check it out with where she lives. I really do not care too much about Credit or even BK. I guess it is because I am out here in LaLa land where our requirements are a little easier. What you are after is really only one thing. Has she an income? Is the rental rate at 25% or less of income? Has she made her housing payments in the past. Thats it.
My best tenant has just completed his second BK. he is a looser whenever he tries to go into business for himself. He just does not have it. But he pays his rent like a slot machine. Always there on the day due. I have seen the little container into which goes a percentage of every bit of cash or check that comes into that house. Nobody would rent to him. I would and will. Terrible taste in cars and women. Loves a Willys Knight, Oh my god. Next to an Edsel the worst. He thinks that hydrolic lifters on the values is an affront to nature. His girl friend resembles a Pouter Pigeon I keep waiting for her to go Coo, Coo!. The rent is on time.Amen.
Lucius
Thanks for all your replies. Just a quick update, I decided to walk away from this particular tenant. The property is still unoccupied but I am optimistic that things are getting better and I will find the right tenant soon.
Thanks again for all your insight.
JS.
There is no way we would rent to people without the social security number. Point blank, if a prospective tenant told us that, we'd just say, "sorry, then we can't proceed any further."
smithj2,
The first sign of a tenant problem is when they refuse or are reluctant to provide identification information.
Any time a potential tenant does not provide or is reluctant to provide identification information I will not rent to them.
Hi all, I'm new here and would like to get into property management. I just can't see how you can require a SS#. 1, it's not considered valid ID, and you know, identity theft starts with a SS#. So how can you expect/require a potential client to give give you that informatiion? Shure, it would make things easy for you (soon to be us
) but in this day and age, how can you think that one would turn that info over to a complete stranger, and over and over, when one is looking for a place to rent? Frankly, I wouldn't give myself my SS#. Any comments?...oly
If you are going to rent to someone or sell to someone or lease to someone....you NEED the SS# to run a credit check and to locate them if and when they skip town!!!! :-D [ Edited by 3qu1ty on Date 09/14/2004 ]
Congrats on your first property!
As far as the SSN goes, get yourself a copy of "The Patriat Act". As a mortgage broker we are now required by law to obtain the SSN. I believe you can simply tell any prospective tenant that based on this "Patriat Act" you MUST have their SSN.
Yes I'm a newbie, but please take in consideration the other things I said in my post. Like I said, a SS# is not a valid form of ID. To have that info can be very helpful in some respects but SS is not going to give you any info at all. You can find info that others have collected though. And let me ask you, would you give your # out to someone you didn't know? I would like to think not. Would you put it up in this forum? You may put one up to pacify me, but would it be real? If you did, in time, (with some research) I could probably tell you more about you than you know
Get my point here? Treat people like crap and that's what you'll get. Your disrespecting people when you want this kind of intrusive information (however it benifits you) and they will in return, disrespect you and your property should you rent to them at all.
Being new here I have a lot of questions to ask but I see your reply was your first post so I'm wondering why you can call me a newbie? later.....oly
Hey,
I thought this question would have died by now....
Just to set the record straight, on the application you ask for their SS#. If they don't give it to you, they don't get the house. Period. Amen. Full Stop. You are not asking for this information just to fill a page, you need it to run a credit check. The bottom of the application says that and the applicant signs it.
Before you hand them the keys (presuming you will rent to them), you get a copy of their drivers license and a copy of their SS card. You check that against what they have already provided. THIS IS TO PREVENT ID THEFT.
I really need to write a book on landlording.
I predict a very short, but interesting, career in property management.
Get my point here? Treat people like crap and that's what you'll get. Your disrespecting people when you want this kind of intrusive information (however it benifits you) and they will in return, disrespect you and your property should you rent to them at all.
Quote:
On 2004-09-10 03:38, olylawnboy wrote:
Yes I'm a newbie, but please take in consideration the other things I said in my post. Like I said, a SS# is not a valid form of ID. To have that info can be very helpful in some respects but SS is not going to give you any info at all. You can find info that others have collected though. And let me ask you, would you give your # out to someone you didn't know? I would like to think not. Would you put it up in this forum? You may put one up to pacify me, but would it be real? If you did, in time, (with some research) I could probably tell you more about you than you know
Being new here I have a lot of questions to ask but I see your reply was your first post so I'm wondering why you can call me a newbie? later.....oly
You are a newbie, olylawn. You can't do a proper credit check without one, and I've needed tenants' SS#s when reporting to our credit check agency that they have been sued for eviction. We are running a business, not a social service agency (which also requires a SS#). We need to protect our interests as much as possible. If a prospective tenant doesn't want to disclose such information, then we can't do business, and there are other places to rent down the street.
I think getting a credit report is a great thing and yes, I have them sign a consent and keep it on file for 5 years. The best thing about it as soon as I tell a prospective tenant I require a credit check at their cost they will always either say "Sure go ahead" or they start backpeddling and then I know they are dirtbags and can go rent from some chuklehead that doesn't require a credit report...And yes I rented to a guy with a FICO score of 595 and he always pays on time...so I don't put all my stock in a credit report but it sure gives us a great place to start and I can report them and ruin their credit if they turn out to be slugs!
Believe me, if you are the landlord and they are the tenant you will get to know each other very fast. When they have my phone number I'm not a stranger anymore.
Think about it this way: You are turning over an investment worth tens of thousands. You'd better find out everything you can about the person who gets the keys.
Cordially,
Alice