Application Process

Rental Application Process, Criteria and Requirements

Ascend Realty & Property Management

Rental Application Process, Criteria and Requirements

Fair Housing or Nondiscrimination Policy:

Fair housing for all is the policy of Ascend Realty & Property Management (hereinafter referred to as Owner/Agent) and it’s the law. The property owner, Owner/Agent and employees of Owner/Agent do not discriminate against any applicant/resident because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (gender), familial status (presence of children under 18 in the household) disability (including physical, mental and developmental disabilities), marital status, source of income, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Applicants/residents may not be denied housing, treated differently than others, harassed, or evicted from housing based on any of these discriminatory criteria. Owner/Agent will consider all applications for rental housing and will provide all services equally without regard to any of the discriminatory criteria listed above.

The following criteria are used when screening all occupants who seek residency at any of our managed properties.

Occupancy Policy:

1. Occupancy is based on the number of bedrooms in a unity. (A bedroom is defined as a habitable room that is intended to be used primarily for sleeping purposes, contains at least 70 square feet and is configured so as to take the need for a fire exit into account.)
2. The general rule is two persons are allowed per bedroom.  Owner/Agent may adopt a more liberal occupancy standard based on factors such as size and configuration of the unit, size and configuration of the bedrooms, and whether any occupants will be infants.
3. All Occupants must be listed on the rental agreement.  All financially responsible and occupants that are not financially responsible and are over the age of 18 must apply and meet or exceed the rental requirements listed below. 

Process:

• We require you to view the exterior of the property before scheduling an interior viewing. Do not disturb the current occupants.
• The application is not complete until each adult applicant or delegated representative sees the inside of the unit or accepts the home sight unseen (in writing), in its present condition.  If the property is being leased sight unseen, it is understood that no promises written or verbal have been made and the property is being accepted as is.
• Applicants must be able to enter a legal and binding contract.
• Once your completed application is submitted please allow 2 to 3 business days for information on your application to be verified.
• We reserve the right to deny your application if after 2 business days we are unable to verify your rental history.
• The first applicant(s) providing complete application(s) (for all occupants over the age of 18) that meet or exceed the application screening, background check and other requirements will be accepted for the property. (Please see below for description of a complete application)
• Once you are approved, you will have 3 business days to pay the execution deposit as stated on the Execution Deposit Agreement.  The Execution Deposit will be applied to your refundable security deposit or rent as stated on the Execution Deposit Agreement once you execute the lease agreement, occupy the property and begin paying rent.  If you fail to enter into a rental agreement, take occupancy of the property and pay rent, your execution deposit will be forfeited as liquidated damages.
• Approved applicants will be required to take financial responsibility (begin paying rent) within 14 days of approval and/or property availability, whichever is earlier.
• Appointments to tour properties are to be scheduled directly with the Property Manager or Showing Representative and are subject to availability.  Oregon State Landlord Tenant Law gives current tenants the legal right to approve of or deny access to the property, therefore appointments to tour properties are subject to current tenant approval.

Your completed application consists of:

Completed online Application for every financially responsible occupant and every occupant that is not financially responsible that is over the age of 18. The online application must include names, ages and relationship to applicant(s) of all occupants planning to reside in the property.

A non-refundable $40 application fee per adult (18 or older).

3)   Legal government picture ID for all applicants.

4)   Income verification (2 months’ worth of most current pay check stubs, benefits letter, employment offer letter with stated start date and wage/salary terms, or 2 most recent tax returns).

5)  If pets are allowed in the property, a complete description and a picture of any pets that will reside in the property must be included in the online application (all pets, except service, therapy and or companion animals, are subject to Owner/Agent approval)

6)  Animal certification and/or reasonable accommodation forms for service, therapy and/or companion animals.

Criteria:

In the case of government entities that institute application criteria for rental properties within their jurisdiction, where applicable the application criteria of that jurisdiction will supersede the criteria listed in this section.

Income Requirements:

• All applicants must prove their actual income from legitimate sources.
• Gross monthly household income must be at least 3 times monthly stated rent.  If applicant will be using local, state or federal housing assistance as a source of income, “stated rent” as used in this section means that portion of the rent that will be payable by applicant and excludes any portion of the rent that will be paid through the assistance program.
• Income verification must be submitted with the application in one or more of the following ways: 2 months of most current pay check stubs, employment offer letter with stated start date and wage/salary terms, 2 most recent tax returns, or official letter documenting funds from other sources.
• Irregular or inconsistent employment history shall be considered when evaluating income.
• Large liquid saving/investment accounts may be used to qualify in lieu of income.  Current balance must be at least 3 times the amount of rent paid over the entire lease term.

Past Housing Requirements:

• All applicants must provide landlord or mortgage references from a non-family source for a minimum of 3 years including current and most recent prior residences.
• Screening verification to show on time payments of rents or mortgage for the previous 3 years.
• Discovery of unpaid balances to past landlords may result in denial of application.
• 5 years of eviction free rental history. Evictions that were dismissed or resulted in a judgment for the applicant will not be considered

Credit Requirements:

• Owner/Agent is not liable for information received from credit bureaus and does not have the responsibility to research applicant claims of inaccurate information.
• Applicant(s) with a FICO score below 600 will not be approved. Applicants with a credit score from 600 to 630 will require additional security deposit equal to 1 month’s rent. Applicants with a credit score of 630 to 660 will require additional security deposit equal to ½ month’s rent.  The credit score of the applicant with the lowest credit score will be the credit score used for this Credit Requirement.
• Discharged Bankruptcies and paid collections will be evaluated on a case by case basis; however a letter of explanation will be required.
• Applicant is responsible to verify and/or to correct any credit reporting information they believe to be inaccurate. 

If applicant(s) is/are denied because applicant(s) does/do not meet above requirements, applicant(s) may ask for their application to be reconsidered with additional security deposit and/or with a qualified co-signer.

Co-signer Requirements:

• In order to qualify as a co-signer, you must fully meet all applicant requirements and have a minimum monthly income of 5 times the stated rent.

Criminal Requirements:

Upon receipt of the rental applications and screening fee, Owner/Agent will conduct a criminal background search to determine whether the applicant or any proposed tenant has charges pending for, been convicted of, or pled guilty or no-contest to, any  drug-related crime; person crime; sex offense; crime involving financial fraud, including identity theft and forgery; or any other crime if the conduct for which the applicant was convicted or is charged is of a nature that would adversely affect property of the landlord or a tenant or the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment of the premises of tenants, the landlord or the landlord’s agent. A single conviction, guilty plea, no contest plea or pending charge for any of the following shall be grounds for denial of the rental application:

• Felonies involving: Murder, manslaughter, felonies involving arson, rape, kidnapping, child sex crimes, where the date of disposition, release or parole has occurred in the last 20 years.
• Felonies not listed above involving: Criminally negligent homicide, aggravated vehicular manslaughter; Drug manufacturing, selling, possession with intent to distribute & trafficking; person crimes, sex offenses, financial fraud crimes, Burglary, theft, criminal mischief, coercion, animal abuse  where the date of disposition, release or parole has occurred in the last 7 years.
• Misdemeanor for drug possession, person crimes, sex offenses, financial fraud crimes, criminal impersonation, violation of a restraining order, criminal mischief, stalking, disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of burglary tools, where the date of disposition, release or parole has occurred in the last 3 years.
• Agent denies admission to a household if any household member is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program.
• If there are multiple convictions, guilty pleas or no contest pleas on the applicant’s record, Owner/Agent may collectively consider each applicable category as indicated above.
• Owner/Agent will not consider expunged records.

Criminal Conviction Review Process:

Owner/Agent will engage in an individualized assessment of the applicant’s or other proposed occupant’s, conviction if applicant has satisfied all other criteria (the denial was bases solely on one or more convictions) and:

1. Applicant has submitted supporting documentation prior to the public records search; or
2. Applicant is denied based on failure to satisfy these criminal criteria and has submitted a written request along with supporting documentation.

 Supporting documentation may include:

1. Letter from parole or probation office:
2. Letter from caseworker, therapist, counselor, etc.:
3. Certification of treatments/rehab programs;
4. Letter from employer, teacher, etc.
5. Certification of trainings completed;
6. Proof of employment; and
7. Statement of the applicant

Owner/Agent will:

1. Consider relevant individualized evidence of mitigating factors, which may include:
2. The facts or circumstances surrounding the criminal conduct;
3. The age of the convicted person at the time of the conduct;
4. Time since release from incarceration or completion of parole;
5. Evidence that the individual has maintained a good tenant history before and/or after the conviction or conduct;
6. Evidence of rehabilitation efforts
7. Owner/agent may request additional information and may consider whether there have been multiple convictions as a part of this process.
8. Notify applicant of the results of Owner/Agent’s review within a reasonable time after receipt of all required information
9. Hold the unit for which the application was received for a reasonable time under all the circumstances to complete the review, unless prior to receipt of applicant’s written request (if made after denial) the unit was committed to another applicant.

Denial Policy:

If your application is denied due to negative and/or adverse information in a credit or rental history report, and you believe that there is an error, the procedure to correct the error is:

1. If the denial is credit, contact the credit reporting agency listed on the denial letter in order to identify who is reporting unfavorable information.  Provide documentation to the credit reporting agency regarding the error and ask to have the error removed from your record.
2. If the denial is for rental history and you believe there is an error, contact the previous landlord to request a correction.
3. If the information being reported is incorrect, requests for correction must be submitted directly to the credit/criminal background reporting agency or previous landlord. Owner/Agent is not responsible for correcting the incorrect information provided by the credit/criminal background reporting agency or previous landlord.

Owner/Agent will hold the unit for a maximum of three days to allow applicant time to resolve incorrectly reported credit or rental history

Misrepresentation:

Applicant will be denied if misrepresentations are found on Applicant’s application or other documentation provided by Applicant during the approval process.  If any misrepresentation is discovered after approval and property possession, at the option of the property owner, Tenant’s rental agreement and tenancy of the property may be terminated.

Disabled Accessibility:

Owner/Agent allows existing premises to be modified at the full and complete expense of the disabled person if the disabled person agrees to restore the premises (per fair housing guidelines) at their own expense to the pre-modified condition. We require:

• The applicant to seek the landlord’s written approval before making modifications
• Reasonable assurances in writing that the work will be performed by a licensed contractor.
• Reasonable details regarding the extent of the work to be done.
• Appropriate building permits and the required licenses must be available for inspection by the landlord.
• Names and license numbers of the qualified contractors that will be used
• A deposit for the restoration may be required.

Pet Policy and Requirements:

• All pets that will reside in the property for more than 2 days require approval by Owner/Agent.  Pet approval is specific to the particular pet approved.  To have your pet considered for approval you must submit a picture of the pet with your application and complete the pet description section of the application.
• Properties are subject to pet restrictions and approvals on a property by property basis
• Pets can be restricted by size/weight, age, type of pet: snake, caged animals, large fish tanks, birds, cat and/or dogs.
• The number of pets can be restricted.
• The type of dog breeds can be restricted.
• No pet that has any history of violence or destroying property will be allowed.  Agent reserves the right to verify that the pet(s) have not caused harm or damage through third party or past landlord.  No breeds with violent tendencies or uninsurable breeds such as, but not limited to, Pit Bulls, Rottweiler, German Sheppard, or Dobermans are allowed.
• Kittens or puppies under one year old are not allowed.
• Additional security deposits will be required with pet approval and pet rent may be charged with pet approval.

Smoking/Medical Marijuana/Recreational Marijuana:

Smoking of any kind is not allowed in any rental property. Some properties may not allow smoking on the entire premises.

Growing marijuana, for any purpose, on any part of the premises, including common areas is not allowed.

Service, Therapy and Companion Animals: 

Are required to meet the same behavior rules and residents are liable for animal damages.  Animal certification and/or reasonable accommodation forms will be required at time of application.  Additional security deposits will not be required.  Breed, type and animal age restrictions shall be waived.

Home Owner Associations (HOA):

Tenants approved for a property with a HOA will be supplied with a copy of the HOA rules and regulations and will be expected to maintain compliance with the rules and regulations of the HOA in addition to the terms of the rental agreement and addendums.  Payment of any fine that is levied by the HOA due to the tenant’s or tenant’s guest’s failure to comply with HOA rules and regulations will be the responsibility of the Tenant.  Tenant must pay any such fine levied by the HOA within 30 days from the date that the fee is levied to Owner/Agent Tenant’s failure to comply with HOA rules and regulations or Tenant’s failure to pay fees levied by the HOA for Tenant’s failure to comply with HOA rules and regulations will result in additional fees being charged to the Tenant and/or the rental agreement and tenancy of the property may be terminated.

Adding Additional Roommate(s):

If existing tenants request to add additional roommate(s), the additional roommate(s) must follow the Rental Application Process as set forth on this website and must meet all of the Criteria and Requirements set forth on this website.  There will be a $250 add roommate fee for each roommate added.

Renter's Insurance:

All Tenants, except low income Tenants with government subsidized rent, will be required to carry liability coverage in the amount of $100,000 per occurrence or the customary amount required by landlords for similar properties with similar rents in the same rental market, whichever is greater.  Liability insurance shall cover medical costs and other liability if someone is injured in or on the property and/or there is damage to the rented property caused by the Tenant or Tenant's guests at Tenant's expense.  If the Tenant fails to provide evidence of such insurance to Ascend Realty & Property Management or if the evidence of insurance indicates that the insurance has lapsed or has been cancelled, Ascend Realty & Property Management will obtain tenant liability insurance for the rented property and payment the cost of such insurance will be the responsibility of the Tenant. The Tenant will be billed for the cost of such insurance and failure to pay the cost of such insurance will result in additional fees and/or the tenancy of the property may be terminated.

Tenant shall provide documentation to landlord that the tenant has named the landlord as an interested party on the tenant’s renter’s liability insurance policy authorizing the insurer to notify the landlord of:

1. Cancellation or non-renewal of rental insurance policies
2. Reductions of policy coverage
3. Removal of the landlord or other interested party as an interested party on the policy

If the Tenant is unable to provide insurance, Ascend Realty & Property Management will obtain a tenant liability policy that provides basic liability coverage at Tenant's expense. This liability insurance policy does not provide insurance coverage for Tenant’s personal property or Tenant’s expenses related to loss of use for a covered event.

For additional information about insurance and to obtain a quote for renters insurance please contact your insurance agent.

Tenant(s) will be responsible for all costs, legal fees and administrative fees charged by Ascend Realty & Property management associated with any eviction process that becomes necessary for any reason.