Tenant Screening and Selection Policy

WE DO NOT ACCEPT COMPREHENSIVE REUSABLE TENANT SCREENING REPORTS

THE APPLICATION PROCESS: Once you have made a viewing of an available rental unit, you are invited to make an Application To Rent. The application processing and screening will include but not be limited to: evaluating your credit history, verification of source and amount of income, verification of two years current and previous residency references, a review of public records, and a review of criminal history if any. Each individual eighteen (18) years of age or older and emancipated minors will be required to complete an Application To Rent. Each applicant will pay a non-refundable application processing fee of fifty-five dollars (55.00). 

APPLICATION SCREENING

Disqualifiers:

• Falsification of Social Security Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or other identifying number used to obtain credit history.
• Falsification of information on rental application
• Verified unpaid eviction showing on credit report or confirmed with landlord
• Unpaid rental collection verified on credit report
• Balance owing to landlord
• Breaking lease agreement that may result in collection filing
• Open bankruptcy 
• Civil judgments and/or collections for rentals and/or utilities, other collections.
• Conviction, incarceration, or parole within the past seven years for any of the following offences against people or property:
• Theft, burglary, assault
• Possession, manufacturing, or distribution of a controlled substance. 
• Applicants convicted of a sex offense or registered sex offenders will not be considered for tenancy.

Conditional acceptance may be made for applicants that have any of the following:

• Late payments, dishonored checks, violation complaints, and/or property damage at a previous rental
• Bankruptcy, foreclosures, negative credit, tax liens.
• Criminal convictions, incarceration or probation within the past seven years will be considered for tenancy on a case-by-case basis. 

A successful applicant will have the following: 

Rental History:

• Minimum two years of continuous, positive, objective rental history.
• Related party references such as family, friends, and co-tenants are not objective references.

Source of Income:

• Minimum monthly income of three (3) times the rent (your portion in the case of subsidized housing) is required.
• Minimum two-years employment history in your current field.
• Self-employed applicants must have two years of self-employment history as verified by their federal income tax filings.
  

Credit History:

• Applicant(s)’ credit report will demonstrate a history of and a current ability to meet financial obligations on a timely basis.

Every applicant is requested to provide:

• A Social Security Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. This will be used to obtain a credit report. For the purpose of this application, the term Social Security Number shall mean any of the above numbers. 
• Government-issued picture identification
• Documentation of adequate income:
• Two most recent pay stubs with year-to-date earnings
• If self-employed, two years of tax returns
• Retirement earnings documentation (award letters, 1099-R, bank statements)
• Additional income documentation (trust funds, alimony, child support, bank deposit history, educational grants, governmental assistance, etc.)

DETERMINATION: All applicants will receive either an unconditional acceptance, conditional acceptance, or denial. Those receiving conditional acceptance or denial may request reconsideration in writing by detailing extenuating circumstances that no longer exist that caused the conditional acceptance or denial of the application.

COSIGNER: Conditionally approved applications may require a cosigner. A qualified cosigner will have excellent credit, verifiable income to support both the applicant’s household and their own, and should own real estate in Spokane County, Washington.

DEPOSITS: A security, cleaning, and damage deposit (SCDD) equal to one month’s rent will be charged. 

PETS: When a pet is authorized, monthly pet rent will be charged and a pet addendum will be included in your rental contract. (Assistance animals are not pets. We comply with all local, state, and federal Fair Housing laws.)

ASSISTANCE ANIMALS: Assistance animals include but are not limited to, trained service animals and emotional support animals (ESA.) 

Before an assistance animal will be authorized to reside at the property you must provide a certified prescription letter. The letter must include the following:

1. An original or digital signature from a licensed healthcare provider to ensure their authenticity.
2. The license type and number of the LMHP
3. The state in which they’re licensed to practice
4. The date their license was issued
5. Printed on their official letterhead
6. Their contact information
7. The date the letter was issued and expiration date

In addition to the prescription letter, the animals must have a current shot record and a copy of the Spokane County animal license along with a photograph and description (type, breed, weight, and colors) of the animal. Lastly, the Assistance Animal Addendum must be executed along with the rental contract. 

MOVE-IN CHARGES:

• Upon acceptance of an application a holding fee not to exceed ¼ of one month’s rent will be due within 24 hours. This holding fee will be applied to the SCDD upon move-in. 
• Rent will begin within five calendar days of executing the holding agreement unless the property is not available for occupancy at that time. One full month’s rent will be due at move-in, with pro-rated rent due the following month.
• An Administrative Move-In Fee of $200 will be due prior to move-in.

ADVERSE ACTIONS: In the event that adverse action is taken on your rental application (conditional approval or denial), you have the right to a free copy of the screening report that we reviewed. The screening report was obtained from ACRAnet, 521 W. Maxwell Ave/PO Box 5393, Spokane WA 99205 which utilizes Trans Union credit reports as a portion of their screening. You have the right to dispute the accuracy of any information therein. Although Watson Management Co., Inc., is unable to provide you with a copy of the screening report based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act, an adverse action letter will be issued to you. This letter describes in detail how you may obtain a copy of the screening report. 

You have a right to receive a free copy of your credit report each year from each credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, Trans Union). For your free copy, log-on to www.annualcreditreport.com.

To comply with the Washington State Fair Tenant Screening Act of 2012 and the Fair Credit Reporting Act, this is to inform you that the background investigation will be processed by Acranet The Information Network, 521 W. Maxwell/PO Box 5393, Spokane WA 99205. We may obtain credit reports, court records (civil and criminal), and detention information, employment and rental references as needed to verify all information included in your Rental Application.