What's Wrong with Antuane?

Winter is typically a difficult time to find new tenants. Fortunately, I am very nearly full this winter. I currently only have 3 units left: a two bedroom apartment; a two bedroom house; and a three bedroom house (my most recent eviction). I would certainly like to have these properties rented for the winter! However, I learned long ago that it is infinitely preferable to wish you had a tenant than to have a tenant and wish you didn't!!!

It takes a lot of discipline to turn down applicants when you have vacancies. It is even harder when you turn down several potential tenants in a row. Such has been the case this last week for me. If my count is correct, I have now turned down 6 of the last 7 applicants. This is after screening them on the phone (before I agree to show the property to them) and screening them again before I give them an application.

Antuane was my latest applicant to be turned down. Antuane called me about a week ago looking for a 3 bedroom house to rent. He was well-spoken and said that he was looking for a rental for his family, which consisted of Antuane, his wife, and two children. I described the house to Antuane on the telephone and explained our screening criteria to him. Antuane then drove by the property and called me back to say that he was interested in seeing the interior of the house. I met Antuane at the property and was surprised that his wife wasn't there also. Everyone that is married knows that a husband would NOT dare to rent a house without his wife approving of the property (I know I wouldn't).

Antuane was a clean cut young man that was well dressed and with no inappropriate tattoos (so far, so good). He only spent about 2 minutes looking at the interior of the house and then asked for an application. I found that quite odd. I have shown rentals to hundreds of people and usually people spend more time looking around and then have several questions. I was beginning to become a little suspicious. I gave Antuane the application and again explained our screening criteria to him. He assured me that he would pass the screening without a problem.

A couple of days later (yesterday), I received a call from Antuane who said that he left the application in the mailbox at the rental. I told him that I would look at it and that he should call me in the evening. While I was in town, I picked up the application and last evening I began to screen it. I always start with the criminal background check because a bad criminal record is the number one reason that we decline applicants. Sure enough, Antuane was lying to me. He had a lengthy criminal record including possession of cocaine. He also had a recent eviction. That was enough for me! I only spent two minutes on the screening and had already found 3 pages of criminal history and an eviction. That was enough for me!

This morning I received a call from Antuane. He asked if I had reviewed his application. I responded, "as you are well aware, you did not pass." Antuane acted like he was surprised. "What did you find, he asked". I responded, "you have three full pages of criminal activity including possession of cocaine! You also have a recent eviction." He again sounded surprised, at which point I said "YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT YOU'RE A CRIMINAL, SO THERE IS NO REASON TO PRETEND OTHERWISE. The company does not allow me to rent to criminals. Goodbye." With that, our conversation was over.

It never fails to amaze me that these criminals think everyone else is stupid. I guess that is why we must screen our potential applicants.