Let's See the Landlord's Credit Report!

With the growing number of tenant evictions due to landlord mortgage defaults and the loss of basic services such as water and timely refuse pick-up because landlords don’t pay their tax or municipal services bills, it might seem reasonable to conclude that tenants should ask to see a landlord’s credit score prior to signing an apartment or house lease. After all, most landlords require that the tenant’s credit be checked.

As part of our efforts on behalf of tenants, we will be drafting legislative initiatives calling for states to require that the portion of tenant rent payments applicable to the underlying mortgage payment, property management and utility bills be held in a separate legal escrow account for payment. In this way tenants can have reasonable assurance that these expenditures will be made and that they won’t face eviction or loss of services through no fault of their own.

Since a growing number of landlords are proving themselves to be inept financial managers it’s time tenants be protected from these irresponsible practices.

William M. Deegan
Executive Director
American Tenants Association