New Minneapolis Law Governing Tenant Screening Could Be a Game Changer & All Landlords Should Be Prepared; Opines TenantScreeningUSA.com

WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A new law in Minneapolis, Minnesota will greatly restrict how landlords and property managers conduct tenant screening, specifically in the utilization of consumer reports, eviction reports, and criminal history reports. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com opines: "The new law in Minnesota could be a precursor to greater change across the country, and landlords and property managers should immediately take note and review current screening policies with a third-party tenant screening agency, such as TenantScreeningUSA.com, in order to ensure compliance with all law."

The new law in Minneapolis is a big one for all concerned parties, specifically landlords and renters.

A recent article in Reason.com (Sep 9, 19) briefly outlines the new restrictions in tenant screening:

Under the inclusive screening process, property owners are forbidden from rejecting a potential tenant for having an insufficient credit score, or for having insufficient credit history.

Landlords are also forbidden from turning down potential tenants for any misdemeanor convictions older than three years and for most felony convictions older than seven years. The law does allow landlords to reject applicants that have been convicted of murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, or first-degree criminal sexual conduct, but only if those convictions were within the last 10 years. (1)

Almeida adds: "It's the small property landlords that could face the brunt of the new law. Margins are especially thin with smaller properties and additional cost, insurance for example, could hit the small property landlord especially hard."

From the StarTribune (Sep 12, 19) discussing some of the small rental property owner's reactions:

But landlord Matt Mayotte said that with the new screening restrictions, he's "at a loss for how we're supposed to figure out who the good tenants are and who the bad tenants are." He's been a landlord for 10 years and owns two properties in Minneapolis and one in Crystal. In the past, he's taken tenants with eviction records and tenants with minor drug convictions.

He sometimes skips credit checks to save money and to keep applicants' credit scores from getting dinged. But if the ordinance goes through, he said he will have to consider raising rents to cover costs from taking on risky tenants. Or he will sell his properties. (2)

Almeida concludes: "The Minneapolis law points to an immediate and urgent need for all landlords and property managers to be working with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency, such as TenantScreeningUSA.com, in order to remain fully compliant with current and potential law. All eyes will be on Minneapolis for the next several months watching to see if the legislation works as intended. With the potential of a similar laws spreading across the country."

TenantScreeningUSA.com provides full-service tenant screening services for landlords and property managers of any size and can greatly assist in remaining fully compliant with all existing law governing tenant screening. With a highly trained and experienced staff, TenantScreeningUSA.com can provide help to landlords and property managers with all their tenant screening needs.

Notes:
(1) reason.com/2019/09/17/minneapolis-doesnt-want-landlords-to-check-tenants-criminal-history-credit-score-past-evictions/
(2) startribune.com/small-landlords-fear-limits-on-tenant-screening/560181422/

SOURCE Tenant Screening USA