Tenant Screening

Tenant screening is the process a landlord uses to decide whether to approve a rental applicant. It usually covers income, credit, rental history including evictions, and a background check, and it is paid for by an application fee.

The income check is where the 3x rent rule lives. It is typically the first test, because it is the quickest to run: divide documented gross income by the rent and compare the result to 3.

Passing on income does not guarantee approval. An applicant with 4 times the rent and a recent eviction can still be turned down, and one at 2.8 times with long rental history and strong credit is sometimes approved. Landlords have to apply their written criteria the same way to everyone. See income requirements for landlords.