Reasons you may not rent to someone.........?

Question

Hypothetical situation........."as a homeowner, what would make you NOT rent to a potential renter?"

If your city council had passed a bill that said you could not RENT to "certain individuals", how would you determine WHOM they were?

Any clues to this mystery..........immigration gurus?

Answer 1

silly question I reckon

Answer 2

When city councils pass such a bill, they will also have laid out guidelines for how you can verify who are legal citizens to rent to. As a landlord, it is your responsibility to find out what those guidelines are and adhere to them or else face big fines and/or other penalties. As a landlord, you have a big investment in your property and I can't see most landlords wanting to risk that investment in any way, either by being fined/penalized by the city or by having your property trashed when far too many people move in than are allowed under safety regulations, as well as the fact that most illegal immigrants are not reliable renters because they could be "here today and gone tomorrow" if they are discovered by INS and deported. Or, even if they believe they are on the verge of deportation, they will simply stop paying their rents and utility bills, etc. and you, the landlord, will be stuck holding the bag.

If I were a landlord with investment property, I think it would be in my own best interest to check out potential tenants to the fullest extent (background, criminal record, citizenship/legal residency, employment, previous rental references, etc.).

I can see some unscrupulous slumlords giving housing to illegal immigrants via charging them outlandish amounts of rent and huge up-front damage deposits and probably several months rent to begin with, though, if they thought they could get away with it and if they thought the huge amounts they are charging would be more than enough to pay any fines/penalties they may receive. Some landlords, like some employers, like to take advantage of the precarious, shadowy lives of illegals, knowing the illegals will have little or not recourse.

I've known of landlords who charge HUGE amounts of rent to illegals, even knowing they will move far too many people into the residence (not caring, since the place is usually a slum to begin with) and then up the rent whenever they want and if the illegals hesitate to pay it, they threaten to call Immigration. Tell me this is not taking advantage?

Anyways, as someone else here said, even with cities passing their own bills making it against the law to rent to illegals, it will NEVER stop them ALL, but it will make it that much more difficult for illegal immigrants to find suitable housing and therefore take away that little bit more incentive for them to come here illegally.

Some illegals will get around this by making friends with someone who is "legal" and getting the lease in that person's name and then sneaking in more illegal friends without informing the landlord. Again, it's the landlords' fault if they do not monitor and look after their investment properties as to what is going on inside them.

Answer 3

I rent out a home, and there are many reasons not to rent to someone. As a private owner, I get to make those decisions. You can have a check run for about $50 - a cheap price to pay for greater security. Also, there is nothing in the constitution that prevents me or a company from NOT renting to someone engaged in illegal activities (such as illegally trespassing into the US). It falls under the body of law that deals with aiding and abetting a criminal.

Answer 4

All I know is they have "non-smokers" only, singles only, 55 and over communities, no pets allowed, No drinking or parties, 1 car parking, proof of employment and credit check required. References needed. Section 8 only. I've signed leases where I wasn't allowed to have a roomate without prior consent and a definate rate increase. All sorts of rules from if I could paint and what color, to how long visitors were allowed to stay or if I could wash my car. So I don't see why it's so bad to require a person to be a citizen. Or at the least ,abide by housing codes. There's no excuse for this 35 adults in a one bedroom apartment. Or 8 adults and 16 kids in a 2 bedroom etc.

Answer 5

New law to be passed? That renting to an illegal immigrant could cost you a 5000 dollar pently the first offense?
To rent to anyone you will have to do a check. See that thier papers are in order if your renting to legal immigrants. Ask to see documents?
Photo copy all documents just in case some documents were phonied up to cover yourself.

Answer 6

I believe that the city council does not have more power than the Civil Rights Act of 1965 and the United States Supreme Court.

Answer 7

I have income properties and use a variety of tools to secure my investment. By federal law no ordinance that is "discriminatory" against a protected class may be enforced. Immigration status is not a protected class. Individual property owners make decisions every day, some comply with the law others don't.

Answer 8

You have the right, in most states, to deny renting to anyone for any reason, and you don't (better yet, you shouldn't) give a reason why.

I could think you're an ugly butthole, and say sorry, "this isn't going to work out". When you ask why, I simply don't answer.

If you say "Because you're mexican/white/gay/jewish", or any of the above is when you get into hot water. If you say that "gee, this isn't going to work out for me" and LEAVE IT AT THAT, then you can pretty much rent to whoever you want because they have no basis for why you didn't rent to them.

If I even thought one of my properties was going to house a suspected illegal family, then I wouldn't rent to them. Not because I"m a racist, but if they run coyotes or drugs out of the house, I become liable and will likely be the only guy getting sued.

The answer is simple. DO NOT GIVE ONE.

Answer 9

What rent has to do with immigration?
There are two categories of people I would not want to make my tenants: drug users and those with a bad credit, because there is a high risk that both of them will default on the rent.

Answer 10

Since this is about immigration, then I assume that this is about illegal immigrants.

Since any illegal immigrants who are willing to rent in an established place probably al.ready got the 'official' papers to prove who they are.

While those who go for informal places probably don't rent at all, they probably stay there because kind and 'kind' landlords.

Answer 11

Too bad you cant discriminate against drug use, since its considered a "disability", although you are right in saying that they will wreck the place and not pay you rent.