Landlords and property managers are limited by certain laws when it comes to selecting who to rent to. We are to accept the first applicant that qualifies under income, rental history, and credit criteria and are to not to discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, ethnic background, familial status, or disability. Here is a breakdown of what landlords and property managers look for in a prospective tenant.
Income
Most owners will require you to provide some sort of proof on income when you submit your application, common factors of consideration are the amount compared to the rent (a monthly earning that is 3x the rent is the norm for Sacramento), the length of time you have been at your current job, and bank statements proving you are receiving said income. If you are moving from out of state, a letter from your new or current employer stating your earnings would generally satisfy this requirement.
Credit Score and History
A good credit score is very attractive to owners and property managers when reviewing your application. It tells us that you take your obligations seriously and take care to manage your finances. Sometimes a less than ideal score isn’t the end all, owners might take the full picture into account when reviewing your credit history. Let’s say you had an unfortunate bankruptcy or short sale 3 years ago and since then you have been paying all your bills on time with no delinquencies. We might let the low score caused by the adverse credit event slide because, sometimes, life happens.
Criminal Background Check
It is also common to have a background check pulling the criminal record, any previous evictions, and any previous or current legal issues run on potential tenants, providing the owners with information about the applicant’s background. Owners rely on this step to keep the home, neighbors, and community safe and protect themselves from any potential liability.
References
References from previous landlords are always seen as favorable for your tenant application. Make sure to have the previous lease terms and the regularity of rent payment stated in the reference. Also ask the previous landlord to put in any outstanding or helpful behaviors or events that have occurred as part of the reference letter. A reference letter should ideally give the person selecting from the applicants a well rounded idea of how you have cooperated with the previous owner.
Pets and Smoking
In Sacramento about half of the rentals will not allow pets, and sometimes if they do there will be pet breed and weight restrictions. Common restrictions are dogs under 30 pounds with the following breeds deemed undesirable: Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Bulldogs, Pitbull Terriers, Cane Corsos, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, and Great Danes. Almost all rental properties will not allow indoor smoking. And some will skip your application if you do smoke. Smoking is considered a lifestyle choice hence there are no laws protecting smokers.
