Screening Criteria & Disclosure for Real Property Management Teyata
YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCY WITH REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TEYATA.
IMPORTANT (WASHINGTON): Before collecting any screening fee, Teyata provides this written screening criteria notice describing:
(a) the types of information that may be accessed
(b) the criteria that may result in denial
(c) that applicants will receive an adverse action notice if denied or conditionally approved
PetScreening.com Requirement (All Applicants / All Properties)
Teyata uses PetScreening.com as part of our application process for all applicants, even if you do not have an animal.
Every household must complete a PetScreening.com profile and select one of the following:
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No Animal
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Household Pet(s)
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Assistance Animal
We will send the PetScreening.com link after you submit your rental application.
Failure to complete the PetScreening.com profile may delay processing or approval.
Household Pets (If Property Allows Pets)
If the property allows pets, each household pet must be registered and screened through PetScreening.com.
Pet approval is property-specific and may be limited or denied based on:
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screening results
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owner restrictions
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insurance requirements
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property rules
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applicable law
Approved pets may require additional deposits/fees and/or monthly pet rent as disclosed for the specific property and lease.
Assistance Animals (Service / Support Animals)
Assistance animals are not pets.
Pet fees, pet rent, pet deposits, and “pet screening fees” do not apply to verified assistance animals.
We will process assistance-animal requests as a reasonable accommodation and will request only information permitted by law.
If PetScreening.com is used to assist with documentation and workflow, it will be limited to lawful accommodation processing and will not be treated as a “pet approval” process.
Reusable Screening Reports
WE DO NOT ACCEPT COMPREHENSIVE REUSABLE TENANT SCREENING REPORTS.
Tenant Screening Report / Background Check
Teyata’s screening may include (as permitted by law):
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Consumer credit report
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Criminal and sex offender/registry searches (where allowed)
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Washington State criminal, civil, and eviction records search
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Rental history and housing provider references
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Employment and income verification
Consumer Reporting Agency Disclosure (If Used)
If we use a consumer reporting agency to obtain a consumer report/tenant screening report, we will provide the agency’s name and address and required disclosures about your rights to request a copy of the report and dispute inaccurate information.
The consumer reporting agency does not make the housing decision.
Application Fee / Receipt
A screening/application fee is charged per adult applicant (18+).
Our standard fee is $40 per adult (Bellingham cap applies if the property is within Bellingham city limits — see Bellingham section below).
A receipt is available upon request.
Additional Adult Occupants
After the primary applicant submits, each additional adult occupant will receive an email link and must complete their own screening request and authorization.
Important Application Requirements
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All occupants 18 years and older must apply and meet screening criteria
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Government-issued photo ID required for each adult applicant
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Incomplete applications and material misstatements or omissions are grounds for denial
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APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO VIEW THE HOME IN PERSON prior to approval, unless Teyata grants a documented exception for good cause or a required accommodation
Screening Criteria for Tenancy (What May Result in Denial)
Income / Ability to Pay (DTI Test)
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Monthly rent plus monthly debts shown on the credit report must not exceed 45% of gross monthly household income
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Income must be current, consistent, and verifiable
Income Documentation (Examples)
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Employed: recent consecutive pay stubs and/or offer letter
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New employer: offer letter plus first pay stub(s) if available
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Self-employed: last 2 years tax returns plus recent bank statements
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Retired/fixed income: benefit statement(s) and/or recent bank statements showing deposits
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Savings/investments/retirement accounts: we may calculate monthly income by dividing current balance by 12 months; documentation required
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Students/no current income: may be considered with a qualified co-signer (guarantor) and proof of enrollment
Income Verification / Whose Income Counts
For income qualification only, Teyata will verify and use income from no more than two (2) financially responsible applicants (typically the primary applicant and one co-applicant).
Income from additional applicants/occupants may be disregarded for qualification purposes.
If the household cannot qualify using income from up to two financially responsible applicants, the application may be denied unless a qualified co-signer is approved.
NOTE: All adult occupants must still individually pass identity, rental history, and background screening.
Verifiable Residency / Rental History
An applicant may be denied for one or more of the following:
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Unverifiable rental history (applicants without rental history may be approved with a qualified co-signer or additional deposit where permitted if all other criteria are met)
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Unfulfilled lease obligations
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Current or prior balances owed to a housing provider (rent, deposits, fees, or damages)
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Eviction pending
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Pattern of late payments (example: 3 or more late payments within a 12-month period)
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Pattern of NSF payments (example: 3 or more NSF checks within a 12-month period)
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Pattern of complaints/lease violations (example: 3 or more within a 12-month period)
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Unauthorized pet(s) or occupant(s)
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Documented damage to unit/property
Relatives and friends are not acceptable rental references.
If a screening report reflects an “address discrepancy,” applicants must provide proof of current address. Acceptable proof may include:
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driver’s license/state ID
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current lease or mortgage statement
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utility/insurance bill
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pay stub dated within the past 30 days
Credit
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Minimum credit score required: 650
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Credit history must also be at least 75% positive overall
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Accounts currently late, in collection, or charged off are considered negative
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Housing-related collections or amounts owed to a prior landlord/housing provider may result in denial
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Bankruptcy discharged less than 2 years prior may result in denial (case-by-case review where permitted)
Criminal / Registry Information
Where allowed by law, criminal/registry information is reviewed case-by-case considering the nature/severity of the conduct and the time that has passed.
Some jurisdictions restrict what may be considered; Teyata follows the rules that apply to the property location.
Competing Applications / No Guarantee
Applications are reviewed and housing decisions are made based upon the qualifications of competing applications and applicable law.
Decisions are not made on the basis of the date the application was received unless required by law.
Viewing a property and completing an application is not a guarantee of acceptance.
A property is considered rented when a lease has been signed by all parties and required move-in funds have been paid.
Adverse Action Notice
If your application is denied or approved with conditions based on screening results, Teyata will provide the required written adverse action notice.
Bellingham-Specific Rules (Only if Property is Within City Limits)
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Screening/application fee cap: Screening/application fees may not exceed $50 plus any CPI adjustment allowed by Bellingham rules
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Source of income: We do not deny based on lawful source of income (including rent subsidies)
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For income qualification, we evaluate ability to pay based on the applicant’s portion of rent after any subsidy, consistent with applicable law
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Additional fee transparency rules may apply to Bellingham rentals; Teyata will provide any required Bellingham-specific fee disclosures in the lease and/or listing materials.
