Credit and Financial Information – Not credit score. Too much debt could mean the applicant will have problems paying their rent.

Income – Many landlords use the rule of thumb that a tenant should have an income of three times the rent or more. If the applicant falls short, can they find a co-signer?

Rental History – If the applicant is a troublesome tenant, their current landlord may sing their praises to get rid of them. Always call prior landlords if possible since they do not have a motive to mislead.

Employment History – Applicants that move from job to job without a connection between jobs may be someone who will not stay long in your rental.

Criminal Offenses – It is helpful to take the circumstances of the individual offense into consideration.  For instance, it may be helpful to consider whether the same circumstances could occur that caused the applicant to commit the crime in the first place.