Selecting the right resident is the single biggest driver of stable cash flow, low turnover, and fewer headaches. At TGN Property Management, we follow a consistent, fair, and legally compliant tenant screening process designed for Los Angeles rentals. We verify identity, assess financial capacity, evaluate credit patterns, confirm rental history, and—where permitted by law—review background factors. Our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends objective criteria and documentation at every step so decisions are defensible, fast, and fair.
Quick Answer: The Criteria We Use
- Credit: Overall credit profile and payment patterns, not just score.
- Income: Verifiable gross income of typically 2.5–3x the tenant’s rent share.
- Rental History: On-time payments, care of the home, and compliant behavior.
- Background: Where permitted, limited checks with legally required notices and procedures.
- Fraud Prevention: Rigorous document verification to ensure applications are authentic.
As our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends, we apply the same published standards to every applicant and accommodate lawful exceptions (e.g., disability-related requests or vouchers).
Our Step-by-Step Screening Workflow
- Pre-Qualification and Disclosures
- We publish criteria with the listing so prospects self-select.
- Applicants receive required federal, California, and Los Angeles disclosures before applying.
- Application fees (if any) are limited to permissible amounts and tied to actual screening costs.
- Identity and Document Verification
- Government ID cross-check and fraud screening on pay stubs, bank statements, and employment letters.
- Digital forensics for metadata anomalies and template reuse; third-party verification when needed.
- Our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends catching fraud early—it protects owners and honest renters alike.
- Credit Review (Holistic, Not Score-Only)
- We look at score bands and the story behind them: payment history, collections, charge-offs, and utilization.
- Priority is on housing-related tradelines (prior rent, utilities) and recent behavior over ancient dings.
- Medical collections and student loans are weighed carefully due to their unique nature.
- Income and Employment Verification
- Target ratio: applicant(s) should earn roughly 2.5–3x the monthly rent.
- For voucher holders, we evaluate 2.5–3x of the tenant’s portion only, not the full rent, in line with California’s source-of-income protections.
- Verification methods include recent pay stubs, W-2/1099, bank deposits, and employer verification. Self-employed applicants may provide tax returns and year-to-date P&L.
- Rental History and Landlord References
- Contact prior landlords to confirm rent amount, payment timeliness, lease compliance, property care, and whether they would re-rent to the applicant.
- Review of any lawful eviction records and notices, giving more weight to recent, substantiated issues than to older, resolved matters.
- Move-in/move-out condition reports, when available, help validate claims.
- Background Considerations (Where Permitted)
- We follow all applicable federal, state, and local rules. In the City of Los Angeles, the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance restricts the use of criminal history in housing decisions; we comply with required timing, notices, and any limits on what can be considered.
- Outside restricted scenarios, we consider only legally permissible information and use an individualized assessment focusing on safety and recency.
- Consistency, Scoring, and Adverse Action
- Applicants are evaluated against our published criteria; decisions are consistent across units.
- If application is denied or conditionally approved, we provide adverse action notices as required, including reasons and credit reporting disclosures.
- Our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends documenting every step—notes, timestamps, and artifacts live in your owner portal.
What We Look For in Each Category
- Credit
- Strong indicators: on-time payments, low revolving utilization, no recent housing-related delinquencies.
- Potential issues: recent charge-offs, multiple late pays in the last 12 months, unpaid utility balances tied to prior rentals.
- Mitigations: higher deposit where lawful, cosigner/guarantor if policy allows, or conditional approval with documented rationale.
- Income
- Strong indicators: stable employment or consistent self-employment income with documented deposits.
- Potential issues: unverifiable earnings, volatile gig income without reserves, or high debt burden.
- Mitigations: additional savings documentation, longer employment history, or guarantor.
- Rental History
- Strong indicators: positive landlord references, on-time record, no material lease violations, and good property condition at move-out.
- Potential issues: repeated late payments, unauthorized occupants/pets, property damage, or unresolved HOA violations.
- Mitigations: increased oversight, periodic inspections, or denial if criteria are not met.
- Background (Compliant Use Only)
- Strong indicators: no relevant, recent safety-related concerns in jurisdictions where checks are allowed.
- Important: In Los Angeles city, criminal background inquiries are heavily restricted; our process is tailored to comply fully.
As our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends, we focus on recency, relevance, and reliability—not isolated data points.
Fair Housing, Accessibility, and Source-of-Income Compliance
- Equal Housing: We never make decisions based on protected characteristics (race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, familial status, age, marital status, source of income, or other protected classes under federal, California, or local law).
- Reasonable Accommodations: We engage in an interactive process for disability-related accommodations and modifications. Assistance animals are not “pets”; no pet rent or deposits apply where the law prohibits them.
- Vouchers and Subsidies: We welcome housing choice vouchers and other lawful subsidies and apply income multiples to the tenant’s share only. Our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends highlighting voucher-friendliness in listings to reduce confusion and speed leasing.
How We Prevent Application Fraud
Fraud is a growing risk in large metro markets. TGN Property Management employs layered defenses:
- Document forensics: PDF metadata, font/format inconsistencies, and pay stub template checks.
- Bank-verification links: Secure, read-only income validation where applicants consent.
- Employer verification: Direct HR contact or third-party VOE systems.
- Cross-checks: Names, SSN/ITIN formats, address histories, and IP geolocation flags.
Our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends swift but thorough verification—fast decisions reduce vacancy while protecting your asset.
Timelines Owners Can Expect
- Application received: same-day acknowledgment.
- Verification window: typically 24–72 hours, depending on employer and landlord responsiveness.
- Decision: within 1–3 business days with a clear approve, conditional approve, or deny outcome.
- Next steps: deposit and lease sent digitally, with move-in requirements and renter’s insurance details.
When We Use Conditional Approvals
Occasionally an applicant is close but not perfect. We may offer conditional approval if permitted by law and your property’s policy:
- Larger security deposit within legal limits.
- Verified guarantor meeting stronger criteria.
- Upfront rent for a limited period (e.g., first and last month).
- Shorter lease term with a performance review at renewal.
As our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends, conditional approvals can reduce vacancy without increasing risk—when supported by documentation.
Why Owners Choose TGN Property Management for Screening
- Consistent standards applied fairly and transparently.
- Local compliance expertise for Los Angeles, including fair housing and fair-chance requirements.
- Speed plus rigor through integrated tech and experienced leasing staff.
- Data-backed decisions that reduce evictions, late payments, and property damage.
If you’re wondering whether your current screening is strong enough, our Los Angeles Property Management Company recommends a criteria audit: we’ll review your thresholds, disclosure forms, and approval workflow to align with today’s laws and market realities. Ready to place better residents, faster? Contact TGN Property Management to put a proven, LA-savvy screening process to work.