Most property managers charge a non-refundable application fee to their residency applicants.  This fee is typically in the $25 to $45 range, and is used to offset the cost of reviewing the application and conducting tenant screening.  Most managers also are questioned by applicants as to why they have to pay this fee, and the answers can vary from “we charge it to everybody” to “the boss says I have to charge it”.  We propose an answer to this question that not only answers the question in a positive manner, but can actually become a selling tool.

 

When responding to the question of why you are charging an application fee, try telling the applicant that this fee covers tenant screening efforts.  Then go on to explain why tenant screening benefits them.  Explain that all residents of the building they will be moving into have been screened for not just credit histories, but also for criminal histories and problem renter records, in an effort to make everybody’s experience in their new rental community a better one.  Explain that your company has set standards for their tenants, so that everyone can feel more secure.  Once you are done explaining this to the applicant, ask them how they would feel about moving in to an apartment complex that didn’t screen their tenants at all.

 

A great answer to why you are charging an application fee would be “We use this to screen applicants in an effort to improve our rental community.  Screening makes the community a better place for everybody.”

A few months ago Rental Research Services announced its new referral program.  This was accomplished through inserts in the monthly billing statements.  Since then we have received a large number of referrals from our clients, and we are diligently following up on all of them.

 

The way the program works is that if you were to refer someone to use our service and they register, you would earn free National Criminal Index (NCI) searches.  NCI searches allow you to look at statewide criminal records from all over the country, even when you don’t have prior addresses.  See the article on NCI searches in this edition of The Shield.  Each NCI search is valued at $20.

 

Referrals have always been a large source of our business, and that speaks well of our service.  They say that the greatest compliment a business can receive is a referred client.  We want to thank all of you for making the referrals, and hope to reward you with free NCI searches as your referred associates register for the online Instant Inquiry.

“Screening makes the community a better place for everybody”

Earn Referral Bonus coupons by referring your associates.  Then use the coupon to pay for National Criminal Index searches done online!

The greatest compliment is a referral, and we like compliments!

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