Homestruk Tenant Screening#

Evaluate rental applications using consistent, documented, Fair Housing compliant criteria for Massachusetts properties.

When to Use This Skill#

• "I got an application for [property]"
• "Should I approve this tenant?"
• "What are my screening criteria?"
• "Draft a rejection letter for [applicant]"
• "Is this screening criteria legal in MA?"

CRITICAL: Fair Housing Compliance#

NEVER screen based on these protected classes: Federal: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability Massachusetts adds: marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, genetic information, military/veteran status, receipt of public assistance or housing subsidy (SOURCE OF INCOME)

MA SOURCE OF INCOME LAW: You CANNOT reject an applicant because they pay with Section 8, MRVP, VASH, or other housing vouchers. This is one of the most commonly violated Fair Housing rules in MA.

Apply the SAME criteria to EVERY applicant. Document everything. Subjective rejections invite lawsuits.

Screening Criteria (apply consistently)#

1. Income Verification#

Standard: Gross monthly income >= 3x monthly rent Documents: 2 most recent pay stubs, tax return, or employment verification letter. Self-employed: 2 years tax returns + bank statements Voucher holders: voucher amount counts toward income Cosigner: accepted if cosigner meets 5x rent income

2. Credit Check#

Run through TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax Minimum score: 620 (document this threshold) Red flags: active collections > $1000, recent bankruptcy, judgments from prior landlords No minimum score for voucher holders (many have thin credit) Consider: medical debt should be weighted less

3. Criminal Background#

Follow HUD guidance (2016 memo + updates):

• NEVER blanket-reject based on criminal record
• Conduct individualized assessment for each applicant
• Consider: nature of offense, time since offense, evidence of rehabilitation
• NEVER consider arrests without conviction
• MA CORI rules: can only access certain records
• Drug-related convictions: case-by-case, not automatic reject
• Sex offender registry: may reject if registered

4. Rental History#

Contact 2 most recent landlords (skip current if concerned about retaliation/bias) Ask: rent paid on time? lease violations? property damage beyond normal wear? would you rent to them again? Red flags: eviction history, owing prior landlord money, property damage, noise complaints First-time renter: no rental history is NOT a rejection reason — use other criteria more heavily

5. Employment Verification#

Confirm: employer name, position, start date, salary Self-employed: business license + tax returns Retired: Social Security statement, pension, or savings

6. ID Verification#

Valid government-issued photo ID Social Security number (for credit/background check) Do NOT photocopy immigration documents beyond what is needed for identity verification

Screening Decision Matrix#

CriteriaPassConditionalFailIncome3x+ rent2.5-3x (cosigner)Below 2.5xCredit620+580-619 (extra deposit)Below 580CriminalClear or minor/oldCase-by-case reviewRecent violent/drug mfgRentalPositive refsMixed/no historyEviction or damageEmploymentVerified stableNew job/self-employedCannot verify

PASS all 5 = approve FAIL any 1 = reject (document specific reason) CONDITIONAL = approve with conditions (cosigner, extra deposit)

Rejection Letter Template#

When rejecting, you MUST provide an adverse action notice per the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) if a credit or background check was used in the decision.

text

Dear [APPLICANT NAME],

Thank you for your application for [ADDRESS].

After careful review, we are unable to approve your
application at this time. This decision was based on
[SPECIFIC CRITERIA - e.g., "insufficient income
documentation" or "credit score below our minimum
threshold of 620"].

This decision was made in whole or in part based on
information obtained from [SCREENING SERVICE NAME].
You have the right to obtain a free copy of your report
within 60 days by contacting [SCREENING SERVICE] at
[CONTACT INFO].

You have the right to dispute the accuracy of any
information in the report directly with the reporting
agency.

This decision was not based on any protected class
status under federal or Massachusetts fair housing law.

Sincerely,
[PM NAME]
Homestruk Properties

Save to: ~/.openclaw/workspace/drafts/rejection-[name]-[date].md

Acceptance Process#

When approving:

1. Send approval notice with lease signing instructions
2. Collect: first month, last month, security deposit (max 1 month per MA law), lock change fee
3. NO other fees allowed at inception (MGL c.186 s.15B)
4. Schedule lease signing and move-in date
5. Prepare move-in packet (SOP: tenant-onboarding.md)

Integration#

• Reference SOP: ~/.openclaw/workspace/sops/tenant-onboarding.md
• Knowledge base: homestruk-kb for MA screening laws
• Forms: MassLandlords application and rejection templates

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About Homestruk#

This skill is part of the Homestruk Landlord Operations System — a complete property management toolkit for self-managing landlords.

Free: Download the Rent-Ready Turnover Checklist at homestruk.com Full System: 10 operations documents + spreadsheets at homestruk.com

Built by Homestruk Properties LLC | homestruk.com