Selecting a tenant single mother with existing broken lease and police incident

We've just listed a brand new house for rent in a blue chip suburb.
First open had 9 parties through and two application. Preferred application got approved elsewhere first so the pulled out. Agent thinks second application is still good. Its a single mother who is breaking her current lease because of a police incident where neighbours called the police on her (apparently not her fault). Her existing agent has sent a referral and shes in a high income bracket.
We think we should atleast do a second open home but the agent thinks we should sign the single mum. Any thoughts?

 

If she covered her break lease liability from the current lease, I would take her.

High income, and pays her debts? Good enough for me.

 

What sort of police incident?

 

That was my initial thought. Then I realised there's no way to tell what happened with the previous lease without seeing the police report and that would be crazy invasive.
We do feel we could hold a second open home considering the first had plenty interest and see how we go. Its a brand new house in Brissy worth 900k being offered for rent for the first time so would be horrible if it gets trashed.

 

All we have been told is "the neighbors called the police on her and it wasnt her fault. The neighbors are unreasonable. "
No way for us to know what happened at all.

 

Absolutely. Its a new house and we intend to sell it in around 3-4 yrears or whenever the market stabilizes. My directions to the agent was to advertise house as pet friendly and we're happy to allow pets before kids (now I just sound rude).Kids are between the ages of 4 and 8 so I'm guessing in the prime damage causing age

 

I would hold another inspection asap and see if you get any other interest

 

Please don't assume that 'police incident' was anything of her doing - a woman who lives in one of my places is in hiding as a result of a DVO against her ex-partner. She needed to move in a hurry when it appeared that her ex found out where she was living. Something similar could have happened at your applicant's current residence (ie. the police may have been called because someone else has shown up to the property and started to cause a commotion - now, she needs to relocate).

And I know married people whose children have done a lot more damage to their houses than some of the single parents I know, too. And age of the children isn't always a factor - while toddlers can be a handful, it's usually teens who want to stick posters to the walls and spill nail polish and get spray tan on the carpet and tiles. Two parents with older children doesn't necessarily equate to a tidy, well-kept place

 

The tenant can apply for a copy of the police report through a GIPA request (freedom of information) and provide it to you upon request. It's the only real way of determining whether she is telling you the real story or not.
Having said that, I personally would never provide anyone a copy, or even a redacted version. But its worth a try asking if you're actually going to consider her.

My daughter is 4 and causes less mess/damage than my wife.

 

It would be a flat out no for me.

First open had 9 groups through, sounds like a nice modern home in a good area, popular time of year for leasing, you should be able to expect clean applications without those kind of potential headaches.

 

Instead of guessing here, I would ask her Property Manager. Afterall, when she applied for your house, she would have signed the privacy statement and the PM should be happy to tell you more.....

 

Wouldn't rule her out on information given so far - do more digging and see if you can find more details. If only 2 applications out of 9, sounds like 7 didn't like the property - why?

Nothing is as it seems on the surface.

No harm in doing more opens though if you're not comfortable with that one.

 

Id user her as a second best option,

also would depend on how much interest vs applications vs market

 

On my first reading it sounds like some sort of domestic violence type situation. If her need to escape an abusive partner was the reason she broke her lease then I wouldn't hold that against her. I'd find out more from the agent.

 

Rental market seems good. Property was listed on Friday without open home and all 9 parties came on Saturday during a private viewing 10 minute slot upon enquiry with the agent.
Its a fabulous suburb and the property is advertised at a lower than recommended rent. Brand new house near UQ campus and pet friendly.
Tried to dig a bit more but no way to know what really happened without seeing an incident report. The agent really likes her but we think maybe should do another open considering the property is great, area is blue chip and we've only had one open. No point settling for someone who seems quite a bit of a risk with only 1.5 yr rental history and broken lease with police report.

 

So I've just been told the police were called on her kids!! For trouble making apparently and no further details or report being provided except saying it wasnt their fault. What if they are absolute devils and cause damage to the new property that we plan on selling in 3-4 years.
What makes people call cops on kids?