Rental Criteria & Application Instructions

• Anyone 18 years of age or older must submit a rental application. When submitting an online rental application, you may complete the “Other Applicants and Adult Household Members” section, which allows separate applications to be submitted together.
• APMS can only approve complete Rental Applications. A complete application includes the online Rental Application form for all adults household members, proof of income documents, and the application fee. If you have a pet you must also submit the Pet Application through the third-party screening service we use.
• If your application is approvable, but not the approved one for the property for which you are applying, you may consider applying for our other available properties for 45 days without payment of an additional application fee. After 45 days you will be asked to submit a new Rental Application.
• All Applicants must see the interior of the property before an application will be processed. The property must be accepted in “AS-IS” condition before an application can be approved, except where there is written agreement for modifications or repairs. Any such modification or repair request must be in writing and included with your application under “Other Information – Any other information we should know?” If your maintenance and repair request is acceptable to APMS, then it will be acknowledged in writing. Verbal representations are non-binding. In the event that the manager receives two or more unrelated applications for the same property, the Applicant understands the Landlord may select the Applicant desiring the property in “AS IS” condition over another Applicant requesting maintenance or repairs (this does not apply if the request is related to accessibility accommodations).

• Most applications are processed in 2-3 business days. However, it can take longer. You can help speed up the process by putting your current employer and current and past Landlords on notice that we will be contacting them.
• No vacant rental property will be held for more than 14 days unless approved by the property owner.
• Negative findings may cause denial of an application; false documentation or failure to disclose information is grounds for denial of an application.
• We will send you a link so that you may monitor the progress of your application.

A $45.00 application fee is required per Applicant, without exception, and is non-refundable. This fee offsets the costs incurred while processing an application. A $45.00 application fee for guarantors is required as well and is non-refundable. If you have a pet, a separate pet application fee will be due to the third-party pet screening service.

• Priority will be given to an Applicant who meets all of these Basic Criteria, is willing to sign a long-term lease, has no pets, and is willing to take possession the date the property is available for move-in. To be accepted at the advertised Security Deposit, an Application must meet ALL of the following criteria:
  • Income: Gross household income of 3.5+ times the asking rent.
  • Credit: 700+ credit score.
  • Rental History: No evictions, unpaid balances to past Landlords, 2 or more late rental payments, foreclosures, bankruptcies, or non-medical collections.
  • Criminal History: Within the last 7 years, no felonies for illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance, or felonies resulting in bodily harm or intentional damage or destruction of property (for example “arson”). No sexual related offenses for any time period.
• Applicants who do not meet the Basic Criteria, but exceed the minimum criteria, are encouraged to apply and may be accepted with a higher security deposit.

• Basic Criteria: Gross household income of 3.5+ times the asking rent.
• Minimum Criteria: Gross household income between 2.5x – 3.49x the asking rent will be considered with an increased security deposit. Applications with gross household income below 2.5x the monthly rent will not be considered and should not apply.
• Income must be verifiable. Examples of income verification include, but are not limited to, pay stubs, employee records, income tax returns, social security documentation, and bank statements.
• Pursuant to CA Gov. Code 12955(o), the income multiple is based on the amount of rent that will be paid by the Applicant (not the total rent amount) if the Applicant has a rental voucher or other housing subsidy.

• Basic Criteria: Credit score of 700 or higher for each Applicant.
• Minimum Criteria: Credit score between 630-699 will be considered with an increased security deposit. Applicants with credit scores below 630 will not be considered and should not apply.
• APMS obtains a credit report for all Applicants and does not accept copies of credit reports from Applicants.
• APMS accepts discharged bankruptcies if the prospective Tenant has re-established good credit.
• Negative credit reports may be grounds for denial of an application.
• Due to credit reporting regulations, we cannot provide you with a copy of your credit report or discuss its contents with you. However, we can provide you with the name of the credit-reporting agency so you may request a copy from them. All information collected for the approval or denial of this application is considered confidential in nature and for company use only.

• The advertised security deposit is available to applicants that meet all the Basic Criteria and have no pets.
• Applications that do not meet the Basic Criteria are considered higher risk. APMS mitigates the increased risk by increasing the security deposit.
• Applications that do not meet the Basic Criteria, but exceed the Minimum Criteria, may be approved with a higher security deposit.
• If a pet is accepted, the security deposit will be increased by $500/pet.
• If an application is approved with a Guarantor, the security deposit will be increased to double the monthly rent.
• If the property is furnished or partially furnished, the security deposit will be increased by 1x the monthly rent.

• Basic Criteria: APMS requires a minimum of two (2) years of verifiable rental history, and/or homeownership.
• Minimum Criteria: we will consider applications without verifiable rental history or homeownership with an increased security deposit.
• An eviction in the last 10 years is grounds for denial.
• References must be verifiable and family references are unacceptable. Negative references can be grounds for denial of an application.

• Applicants who have been charged with crimes should disclose all information. This information does not automatically disqualify Applicants.
• However, Applicants should not apply if, within the last 7 years, they have been convicted of any felonies related to the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance, or felonies resulting in bodily harm or intentional damage or destruction of property (for example “arson”).
• Applicants should not apply if they have been convicted of any sexual related offenses.

• All Applicants applying together must qualify; denial of one Applicant may result in the denial of all Applicants.
• APMS typically notifies Applicants of acceptance or denial within 3-5 business days of application, unless APMS cannot complete verifications. If more documentation is required, APMS will notify the Applicant.
• Submitting a rental application does not constitute an offer to rent or commitment of any kind. If an application is accepted, APMS will send the Applicant an “Offer to Rent” email. Applicants are required to adhere to the timelines outlined in the “Offer to Rent” email.
• You will be asked to provide the security deposit and the first month’s rent within 24 hours. Make sure your funds are available in advance. The security deposit and first months rent must be paid by cashier’s check or money order payable to “Advantage Property Management Services”.

• If we receive multiple applications we will process all applications for consideration as to what we (in our sole discretion) deem the best Applicant, which may not necessarily be the first application received. In such cases, more than one Applicant may be approvable. Because we represent the best interest of the property owner, we will accept the best application, which may not necessarily be the first application received. Applications remain active for 45 days and may be assigned to another property we have available for rent.
• APMS expends time and incurs cost in processing applications. Hence, our policy is that the application fee is non-refundable. If your application is approvable, but not the approved one for the property for which you are applying, you may consider applying for other available properties that we may have for 45 days without payment of an additional application fee.

• Ideal Applicants will have qualifications that exceed the basic criteria, will sign a longer-term lease, will to move in on the advertised available date, and will not have any negative rental history, bankruptcies, evictions, or collections.
• Applicants can make their applications more attractive by providing required documents quickly, agree to a lease term longer than 12 months, and/or agree to move in on the advertised available date.