Caruth Realty
Rental Criteria and Privacy Policy

Tenant Qualification Criteria

Pursuant to Property Code Section 92.3515, these Tenant Selection Criteria are available to each applicant. The following constitute grounds upon which the Landlord will base the decision to lease the Property to an applicant. Based on the information provided, the Landlord may deny an application or may take other adverse actions (including, but not limited to, requiring a co-signer on the lease, requiring an additional deposit, or raising rent to a higher amount than for another applicant). If an application is denied or another adverse action is taken based upon information obtained from a credit report or credit score, the applicant will be notified. To rent a house or apartment, applicants must provide the following:

• Completed application with an authorization to release information;
• A guarantor application if there is a guarantor;
• All applicants over age 18 must complete an application;
• An application fee in the amount specified in the listing. This fee is non-refundable;
• A photocopy of the applicant's driver license or other government-issued photo ID.

Once an application is received, the following checks are done on each applicant:

• Credit Reporting Agency Report;
• Criminal Background Check;
• Rental or Mortgage History Verification;
• Work History Verification;
• Income Verification.

Applicants should meet the following criteria to rent a residence:

• Income: Applicant or guarantor's income should be at least three times the rental amount.
• Rental History: Applicant should provide two years of mortgage or leasing history. Applicant should have a positive recommendation from the previous landlord or property manager.
• Criminal History: Applicant should not have any type of felony conviction. Applicant preferably should not have any misdemeanor conviction in the last two years. Misdemeanor convictions will be weighed against the applicant such that offenses that are fewer in number, further in the past, and lesser in severity will be counted less against the applicant.
• Credit History: The applicant's most recent two years of credit history should show a consistent pattern of prompt bill payment. Debt levels should not be excessive.
• Information Accuracy: An applicant may be rejected if the information on the rental application is false, unverifiable, or incomplete.

Note that all of the above factors are weighed together. An applicant who scores less well on one criteria may still be accepted if the applicant is stronger in other criteria.

Tenant Privacy Policy

How information is collected: Applicants provide information on the rental application form. A completed rental application form is used to access data from law enforcement agencies, credit bureaus, drivers license bureaus, current and previous landlords and employers. The rental application form may be paper or on-line. Applicants may provide additional information verbally, by email, and by submitting documents such as pay stubs.

How and when information is used: The information is used at the time of the application, and at lease renewal time to determine that the applicant fulfills income, credit history, criminal history, and rental history criteria for leasing.

How the information is protected and who has access: Applicant data on paper is kept in file cabinets, electronic data is kept on a password-protected network; both media are in a secure area available only to Landlord and business partners. Data back-ups are kept at a secure, off-site storage location. Government agencies and courts will be given access to data as part of a criminal investigation, court order, or subpoena. Laws regarding protection of personal information are strictly adhered to. In case of breach of the lease agreement by the tenant, tenant data may be disseminated as deemed appropriate by Landlord and business associates. Tenant's rental history may be released upon tenant's departure to subsequent landlords, mortgage companies, etc, as part of background checks or business-related inquiries. Tenant information may be released to Law Enforcement agencies as part of an investigation. Tenant's application and lease will be conveyed to a new owner in the event that the subject property is sold.

How the information is disposed of: Paper data are shredded within five years after the tenant's departure. Electronic data, backed up on storage media, may be kept for up to ten years or longer after the tenant's departure. A third-party vendor performs all paper media records destruction. Landlord performs the erasure of all electronic media.