Posting a listing
How do I screen people who reply to my listing?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Screen in stages: a few questions by message, a short phone or video call, then an in-person viewing. Ask about dates, length of stay, who would live there, pets, and how they'll cover rent, and look at their Facebook profile. Save formal checks, such as ID, references or a credit report, for applicants you'd actually accept.
Questions that sort serious renters quickly:
- When do you need to move in, and for how long?
- Who would live here, and are there any pets?
- What do you do for work or study, and how will you cover the rent?
- Why are you moving?
- Can you see the place in person, and when?
Watch for replies that want to pay before seeing the place, offer several months up front by check, or later ask you to refund part of an overpayment. These are common scams aimed at people renting out a place.
Use the same questions and the same standards for everyone, and decide on things like dates, budget and fit with the house rules, never on race, religion, national origin, disability or family status. If you are choosing someone to share your home with, the roommate questions cover interviews and agreements in more depth.
Want the whole picture? Read How to Write a Housing Post That Gets Approved.