The following criteria will be used to screen applicants for all rental units at the following addresses:

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10834 Northland Drive, Rockford, MI  49341

11675 Northland Drive, Rockford, MI  49341

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All units and properties are non-smoking unless noted.  Marijuana may not be smoked in or grown in any unit or on property.  All lessees/tenants at this property must abide by the lease and any rules as published, provided or posted.

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Applications:

• Each adult (18 years of age or older or emancipated must complete an application, including required and acceptable documentation of income and a copy of the applicant’s identification and pay the current screening fee of $75

• Applications are valid for 14 days after submission. Applications 15 to 30 days old are valid with updated proof of income.  Applications over 30 days are invalid

 

All applicants that are required to sign the lease must pass the following screening criteria.

 

General:

• Information provided on the application must be complete and accurate.

• Information provided on the application must be truthful and not falsified.

• Supporting documentation provided, e.g. check stubs, tax return forms, copies of social security cards, etc., must not be fraudulent.

• The social security number provided by the applicant must match the social security number on file with credit bureaus.

• The applicant’s birth date must match the birth date on ID, file with the credit bureau and criminal background screening services.

• The applicant must be 18 years of age or emancipated by a court of law.

 

Income:

• The combined gross income for all applicants must have a monthly take home pay plus other legal and verifiable income meet or exceed, 3 times the amount of monthly rent

• Gross Income includes

  • Pay from non-temporary employment, if:

    • The applicant has been employed for the previous 12 months or

    • The applicant has been employed at their current job for any length of time and has been employed for the previous 24 months

    • The applicant has been employed at their current job for any length of time and has a credit score of 690 or higher

  • Pay from temporary employment, if the applicant has been on the same assignment for the previous 12 months and if there have been no gaps in the employment of more than 30 days during that time

  • Gross income from self-employment, if verified by a tax return or bank statement for the previous 12 months

  • Assistance received from outside agencies (Section 8, Community Rebuilders, Salvation Army, etc.) if the agency commits to the assistance for the full duration of the lease

  • Child Support and/or Alimony, if required by court order and paid by the payor through the Friend of the Court

  • Social Security or Disability Benefits

  • Caretaker income paid by the State of Michigan

  • Money received from a trust or pension

• Gross Income does not include:

  • Overtime

  • Bonus

  • Any cash receipts not reported on an income tax return

  • Food stamps

  • DHS cash assistance

  • Unemployment benefits

  • Any other income that does not meet the requirements above

• If the applicant is starting new employment, the applicant must have been employed for the previous 12 months and provide documentation of the amount of pay and start date of the new employ, usually in the form of an offer letter from the employer.  Next Door Properties will separately verify the employment with the employer.  To be considered sufficient, an offer letter must:

  • Include the start date of the employment and

  • List the applicant’s salary or hourly rate and expected number of hours per week and

  • Be signed by the applicant and the employer and

  • Be printed on company letterhead

• The applicant’s income must be lawful and verifiable.

• If the applicant cannot meet the income requirement, this requirement may be satisfied by a qualified cosigner

• Income and Employment Verification – Next Door Properties will attempt to call your place of employment to verify your employment.  Next Door Properties will also attempt to understand your gross income based on the documents you provide.  If we are unable to verify employment with your employer or unable to verify income, we may ask for additional documentation.  The following documents and information may be requested if we are unable to establish employment and/or income verification:

• Last 3 pay stubs.  If you have been at your current job for less than one year, please also provide the last pay stub from your previous employer and the first pay stub from your current employer.

• The last two year’ W2 Tax Forms

• Direct supervisor company email address and direct company phone number.  Additionally, direct contact information for Human Resources.

• If you receive government benefits (i.e. social security, veterans’ assistance, etc) please provide a copy of the benefit letter

• The last six bank statements showing the direct deposits from the employer and/or government benefits.

• If you receive child support, please attach a payment history from the Friend of the Court (6 months of statements)

• If you are self-employed, the last two year’s tax forms and the last six bank statements.

 

Credit:

• If the applicant (s), whose income is being used toward the income qualification of the household, have a credit score of 640 or higher, a security deposit equal to 1 month’s rent is required.  Otherwise, a security deposit equal to 1 ½ month’s rent is required.

• No application will be accepted who has a delinquent utility bill unless the applicant has a co-signer or has a credit score of at least 650.  Utility bills include electric and gas.  At least one applicant must be able to transfer utilities not included in the rent into their name.

• No applicant whose income was used to meet the income qualification will be accepted who has had a possession judgement entered against them, unless more than 10 years have passed since the date of the judgement, or unless the eviction was due to foreclosure (limit 1), or unless judgement has been paid and the tenant has a co-signer.

• Chapter 7 bankruptcies must be discharged.  Chapter 13 bankruptcies must be discharged, or the monthly payment will be subtracted from the applicant’s income, unless applicant has a co-signer.

• The applicant must not have a bankruptcy, excluding dismissed or discharged bankruptcies, within the past 120 months.

• If the applicant’s background check indicates an outstanding utility bill, possession judgement, money judgement, or bankruptcy, the burden is on the applicant to prove that he or she meets the above qualifications.

• If no landlord reference is obtained, the application must have a credit score of greater than 650.  Family or friends will not count as a valid landlord reference.

• Applicants may be rejected if a negative landlord reference is obtained.

• Landlord reference should not be older than two years.

• Private landlord references will require a copy of the lease agreement and ledger.

• If you are a homeowner and don’t have a rental history, you must provide one of the following documents, If the property has been sold, it must be within one year): 

  • Property Deeds

  • Deed of Trust

  • Mortgage Notice

  • Satisfaction of Mortgage Letter

• The applicant must not have unpaid debt collections, excluding medical or educational collections, greater than $500 within the past 12 months.

• The applicant must not have any past due payments exceeding 30 days for personal credit, including but not limited to car loans, credit cards, personal lines of credit, trade accounts, etc.

• No applicant with a pending eviction case will be accepted.

• Applicant must not have an unpaid money judgement owed to a previous landlord unless discharged or satisfied by bankruptcy.

• Applicant must not owe a previous landlord/lessor any money.

 

Utilities:

• The applicant must not have any unpaid or past due utility bills. Utility bills include gas, electric, phone, TV, Internet etc.

• The applicant must not owe a previous landlord/lessor for past due utilities.

• The applicant must be able to get all utilities in their name, if required

 

Criminal:

• Applicants will be denied tenancy if they have been convicted of any of the following crimes:

  • Terrorism

  • Murder

  • Kidnapping

  • Check Forgery or Related Crime

  • Child Pornography or anything Endangering Children

  • Arson

  • Prostitution or Prostitute Solicitation

  • Delivery, manufacturing, or intent to deliver a controlled substance.

  • Maintaining a “Drug House”

  • Can not have a habitual criminal history of convictions.

• Applicants will be denied tenancy if they have been convicted of any of the following crimes within the past 15 years:

  • Narcotics Activity

  • Gang or Related Activity

  • Probation or PPO Violation

  • Fraud, including ID Theft

  • Receiving or Possessing Stolen Property

  • Disorderly Conduct

  • Drunk Driving

• Applicants will be denied tenancy if they have been convicted of any of the following crimes within the past 10 years:

  • Environmental Crimes

  • Marijuana Offenses

  • Corruption of Minors

  • Mischief, including Property Damage

• Applicants will be denied tenancy if they have a pending felony charge.

• Applicants will be denied tenancy who have been convicted of two or more non-driving misdemeanors within the past 5 years.

 

Cosigner Qualifications:

• The cosigner has a credit score of 720 or greater or

• The cosigner has income (as defined above) of four times the monthly rent or greater, has a credit score of 680 or higher and lives in Michigan

 

Rental History & Evictions:

• Applicant must not have been evicted within the past 10 years.

• Housing references must be verifiable (family members and friends are not considered acceptable references)

• Unsuccessful rental history includes but is not limited to evictions, disturbances, unauthorized pets, pattern of late payments, nuisance complaints, damage to the residence etc.

• The applicant’s current/previous landlord(s) must have or will return the applicant’s security deposit in full.

• The applicant’s current/previous landlord(s) must state that they would enter into another lease with the applicant.

 

Holding Fee:

• Once application(s) has been received and approved, any required inspections completed, the applicant is eligible to place a holding fee on the property.

• The holding fee will be applied toward the applicant’s first month’s rent.

• The holding fee is fully refundable if unit is not available on dates promised.  Holding fee is NOT refundable if applicant fails to sign lease, fails to provide additional funds required for occupancy or does not take occupancy on the scheduled move- in date. 

• The lease must be signed and must move in within 7 days of the unit becoming available for move in.

• Once a holding fee is cleared payment is received the unit is taken off the market

• The holding fee is between $500 and the amount of one month’s rent.

 

Pet Policy:

• All Applicants must complete a Pet Screening profile at https://nextdoorproperties.petscreening.com/

• If you have a pet, it must be approved at  https://nextdoorproperties.petscreening.com/       it is very important to know that your application with a pet is placed on hold until you complete the entire Pet Screening application process .

• Applicants must complete a Pet Screening profile for their pet and have the pet approved at: https://nextdoorproperties.petscreening.com/

• Additional monthly rent may be charged according to the FIDO score given to the pet.

  • 5 paw score - $35/pet

  • 4 paw score - $50/pet

  • 3 paw score - $75/pet

• Applicants must pay a non-refundable pet fee of $300 for one pet and then an additional $150 for each additional pet.

• Applicant must pay an annual non-refundable $50 pet inspection fee.

• Applicants must not own more than two pets.

• Applicants must accept the terms of a pet addendum to the lease.

• No aggressive breeds of dogs are permitted and will be reflected in the paw score.

• A home visit to current residence may be done.

• Renters Insurance policy with $500,000 liability coverage required.

• ESA Animals also use the https://nextdoorproperties.petscreening.com/

• Fish fees are charged the above pet fees.  Fish aquariums/tanks must not be any larger than 10 gallons.

• None of the following are allowed:  birds, reptiles, amphibians, mice, rats, rodents of any type including but not limited to mice or rats, insects, rabbits, or any type of farm animals.

• A contact must be given and agree to take care of your pet(s) in the event of an emergency.

 

Occupancy Limits:

• Due to site utility limitations occupancy is limited as per property listing notes

• ​Guest Limits:

  • No overnight guests unless written approval from landlord

  • No parties

 

Expected Move-In Costs

• The following are the expected move-in costs and due at move-in

• Security Deposit - see individual unit requirements

• Pro-rated Rent (plus full following month’s full rent if moving on the 16th – 31st of any month)

• $100 Administration Fee

• If you have housing assistance, approval is subject to all the inspections and approvals necessary as per the Housing Assistance Agency. A $50 additional fee per inspection will be charged at move-in            

 

Adding/Removing Tenants - No one may move in until all of the following have been approved

• Text or email to notify landlord who you would like to remove/add to the lease

• If adding, we will wait until application from new person is received including

  •  $50 application fee

  • Income verification etc as noted above

• If a current tenant is being removed from the lease:

  • Remaining tenant will need to provide updated proof of income to ensure qualification for property, as noted above

• Once all of the above is received

  • An add/remove form will be sent to remaining tenant and if applicable the new tenant that will be added to the lease agreement and payment and signatures from all parties are required prior to the add/remove being complete

• Please note:  No partial security deposits will be given; the deposit remains with the unit until all original leaseholders have vacated

• There is a $150/per tenant lease change fee

 

Early Release – Option to Pay Cancellation Fee

• In the event Tenant(s) desires to terminate the lease before the expiration of the lease term the following will be required

  • 30 days’ notice in writing (email or text) including rent due for those 30 days and

  • Cancellation Fee equal to two (2) months’ rent and

  • $150 Lease Cancellation fee

  • Above payable at the time of the notice for Early Termination/Cancellation to be effective

 

Renter’s Insurance

• Proof of current renter’s insurance including $500,000 liability insurance with Next Door Properties LLC named as additional insured will be required to move in.

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This criteria is effective as of August 23, 2024