One bad tenant can cost more than a year of vacancy
Most landlord horror stories start the same way. The owner liked the applicant, was in a hurry to fill the house, and skipped a step or two.
Then the rent got late, the excuses started, and the move-out left a list of repairs.
Good screening won't guarantee a perfect tenant. But it shifts the odds a lot in your favor. Here's how to do it.
Set your criteria before you advertise
Decide what a qualified applicant looks like before anyone applies. Write it down. For example:
- Monthly household income of at least a certain multiple of the rent
- Verifiable rental history with no unpaid balance to a prior landlord
- No recent evictions
- A minimum credit standard, or a higher deposit option if credit is thin
- Your pet policy
Then apply those same rules to every applicant, in the order applications come in. When you decide case by case, it's easy to drift, and that's where fair housing trouble starts.
What to check
Credit
Look at patterns more than the score. A single medical bill from years ago tells you less than a string of recent unpaid accounts or a debt owed to a past landlord.
Income
Verify it. Pay stubs, an offer letter, or bank statements all work. Don't take a number on the application at face value.
Rental history
Call previous landlords, not just the current one. A current landlord who wants a problem tenant gone may give a glowing review. The landlord before that has nothing to gain.
Good questions: Did they pay on time? Did they give proper notice? Did they get their deposit back? Would you rent to them again?
Background and eviction records
Run a background check and an eviction search with the applicant's written permission. Use a reputable screening service so the report is accurate and the process follows federal consumer reporting rules.
Stay inside fair housing law
The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to treat applicants differently based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status (having children under 18).
That covers more than the final decision. It includes what you say in your ad, what questions you ask on a showing, and whether you apply your rules evenly. "Perfect for a single professional" in a listing is the kind of line that causes problems.
Applicants with disabilities can also ask for reasonable accommodations, such as an assistance animal in a no-pet rental. Those requests have their own rules, so handle them carefully. We cover more of this in should you allow pets in your rental?
State fee rules, and a note on Boise
Idaho Code 55-305 says any fee you charge a tenant has to be reasonable, and it has to be in the rental agreement. That includes the application fee, so keep it close to what screening actually costs.
Boise has passed its own renter ordinances over the years, including rules on application fees and source of income. But a 2025 state law, Idaho Code 55-306, now bars cities from regulating rent, fees or deposits, or forcing owners into optional federal housing programs. Some of those local rules may no longer be enforceable as written.
The city's tenant rights and responsibilities page still lists its ordinances, including one barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. If your rental is in Boise, check with the city or an attorney on what's currently enforced before you set your criteria.
Red flags worth slowing down for
- Pressure to skip the application or move in this week
- Offers to pay several months in cash up front instead of being screened
- Income that can't be verified
- A prior landlord who won't return calls, or a "landlord" who sounds like a friend
- Big gaps in rental history with no explanation
None of these automatically disqualify someone. They're a sign to verify more carefully.
How Badger screens tenants
We use a point-based screening system that looks at credit, income, rental history, background and eviction records. Every applicant is scored against the same standards, which keeps decisions consistent and fair.
Our application fee is $40 per adult ($30 in Boise). We also require renter's insurance, and through our partnership with Beagle, qualified tenants can choose a deposit alternative. For pets, we use PetScreening. You can see how it works from the renter's side on our application process page.
If you'd rather hand the whole thing off, our tenant placement service covers marketing, showings and screening.
Where screening fits in the bigger picture
Screening works best when the house is priced right, because a fair price brings more applicants to choose from. See how much rent you can charge for that part.
For the full process, from getting the house ready to move-out day, read our guide to renting out your house in Idaho.
The takeaway
Write your criteria first, verify everything, call more than one past landlord, and treat every applicant the same.
It takes a little longer up front. It saves a lot of time, money and stress later.
