Is a background check for credit and criminal records needed if you are rent to section 8 teants? I thought that in order to get into the program an indepth check is done in those areas.
We do a criminal background check on every adult who will be living in one of our units whether they’re on Sect 8 or not. Our local Sect 8 office even states LLs should do background checks on potential tenants because no reports are available from Sect 8.
Section 8 background check, done by Section 8 to qualify their clients to receive welfare, seems to consist entirely of asking them what their income is.
They certainly don’t verify what their clients tell them because I consistently get Section 8 applicants who are claiming $50k-80K a year in income.
Section 8 doesn’t care how bad a scum sucker the tenant is. Section 8 doesn’t have to pay for the damage their clients do. Section 8 doesn’t have to pay for the eviction costs if you need to evict the tenants. Their job is to find a place to live for their clients. It is not their job to protect the landlord.
So, yeah, you might want to do some screening if you are going to accept Section 8. Also, be aware that Section 8 doesn’t check and doesn’t care who else is living in the house and Section 8 mamas sometimes have criminal deadbeat boyfriends.