Tenant Screening Tuesday | Denying Multiple Applicants

Welcome to RHAWA’s Tenant Screening Tuesday’s. Each week we will post a discussion questions regarding the tenant screening industry & best practices. This will be a great place to come and receive quick answers to questions from RHAWA’s Tenant Screening Specialists, as well as other landlords.

Tenant Screening Tuesday’s will feature articles, questions, and stories related to the industry, including RHAWA’s take on the situation, as well as offer tips and ideas to overcome any situation.

This week we’ll start with a question asked during a recent RHAWA Tenant Screening Orientation.

Q. With all the changes taking place in Seattle, am I able to offer an adverse action to accept someone who does not fully qualify for my unit, even though I may have already rejected other applicants?

A. The Seattle “first in time” law requires that you first make the same adverse action offer to any previous applicants already rejected, in the order those applications were originally received. The first applicant you rejected should be the first applicant you offer an adverse action to.