Can potential landlords ask that you "prove" to have 3 months rent in the bank?

[Beaverhausen]

A friend of mine needs to move but doesn't have much money saved.

She seems to think that potential landlords can look at your bank account to see how much $$$ you have in there, and if you refuse they deny your application.

This isn't true, is it?

[LeftyMom]

1. They can ask to look at bank statements, paystubs, credit, etc

No matter which they look at the idea is to establish ability to pay.

[Beaverhausen]

7. Well, I know about pay stubs and credit checks but to actually see how much you have in the bank

that just seems crazy to me. And illegal. No one has ever asked me that.

[LeftyMom]

9. I used to manage rental housing

There's really no legal limit on checks on ability to pay except that you can't charge more than $30/person to check credit, can't discriminate against a protected class and can't favor applicants with Social Security Numbers over those with Taxpayer ID Numbers.

[Beaverhausen]

10. Ok- I stand corrected

thanks :hi:

[Shell Beau]

2. That sounds illegal to me!

But who knows? I have heard of running credit checks!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. yes.

[SoxFan]

4. Depends on where you live

State law varies wildly. You should ask a legal services attorney.

[NewWaveChick1981]

5. They can't access her account.

But they might ask her to produce a bank statement or letter from her bank indicating that. I have no idea if that's legal or not, but that might be what she's talking about.

Sounds like the same mindset as my husband a few years ago when he would write checks at stores. Stores that run them through swiping machines use that to electronically match up with a bad check database, but my husband thought they were checking his balance on his checking account by doing that. :P

[jmm]

13. Actually some of those machines can check your balance

although I've never worked at a place that would tell the balance unless somebody didn't have enough in their account to cover their check.

[alarimer]

6. No one has ever asked me that

I think they have asked me to show that my rent would be no more than about 30% of my monthly income. But they didn't actually ask for a pay stub or bank statement or anything. They may have run a credit check; I don't know.

[datasuspect]

8. jesus

i guess they will require piss tests eventually too.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. in newyork when i go apartment hunting i take my credit scores, employment letter

3 months bank statement and my check book.

[alarimer]

12. I also think it depends on the housing market

If there are a lot of apartment vacancies they might be more lenient just to get their occupancy up. If vacancies are limited, I guess they can afford to be pickier.