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10 Steps to take if you are a Victim of Identity Theft
What can I do if I am already a victim of ID theft?
• Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus, to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
• Close all accounts that have been affected and request copies of fraud-dispute...
Consumer Protection Available to Americans in the Know
Today, many Americans are victims of financial crimes
perpetrated by disreputable businesspeople. Consumers are
swindled by those who engage in identity theft, through car
dealer rip-offs, by credit agencies that incorporate inaccurate
data into...
Credit Repair Defaults
If you have defaults on your credit record, it is possible to
have some of them removed. Defaults are non-payments recorded on
your credit files. When a person is in default, they are
subjected to lawsuits, liens, judgments, and other...
Do You Know How Safe Your Roommate Is?
Today's Article
Landlord - Tenant Common Sense
When choosing the perfect roommate, whether you are the tenant or the landlord, a little common sense and due diligence should be a pre-requisite before making your decision. Several factors come...
Fingerprints - how fingerprints solve crime
Fingerprints - how fingerprints solve crime
Fingerprints are something most people don't spend too much time
thinking about on a daily basis. In fact, unless someone is
trying to remove pesky fingerprints from furniture or mirrors,
it's...
Going public: The process for small and mid-size companies to go public.
Going public: The process for small and mid Size companies to go public. It’s the dream of every person who starts a business to some day see it trading in one of the stock exchanges even after they are no longer associated with the company. The...
Hawala, or the Bank that Never Was
In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the USA, attention was drawn to the age-old, secretive, and globe-spanning banking system developed in Asia and known as "Hawala" (to change, in Arabic).
I. OVERVIEW
In the wake...
Real Estate Agent or Broker
Real estate experts go by a few different names, although the
distinction shouldn't matter for you as a first time home buyer.
Important is to make certain the broker or agent you chouse is a
licensed real estate professional. All real estate...
The New Staffing: Survival Tactics That Work
If you've ever been in marketing, you know it's in your blood, and it never leaves. It's also innate to most successful business owners and managers; that constant monitoring of what's going on, with the eyes, ears, nose and throat of the consumer....
Why Americans Find Predatory Lending Offensive
"Menis - the author translates as "indignant rage" - It is the kind of rage arising from social betrayal that impairs a person's dignity through violation of "what's right." (p21), Achilles In Viet Nam - Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character,...
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Good Landlords Ask The Right Questions!
Landlords and tenants alike just want a pleasant relationship,
so that each can live in peace. No landlord should ever allow a
tenant to move into their rental property without first
requiring the prospective tenant to completely fill out a rental
application.
Among the important questions that should be answered on the
application are:
- Place of current employment? - Length of employment? - Name of
bank? - Social Security number? - Do they have pets, if so what
kind? - Number of vehicles? - How many occupants will live on
the property? - Ages of occupants? - Name and address of current
and prior landlords? - Have you been convicted of a felony? -
Have you ever been evicted? - Are you currently engaged in
criminal activity? - Have you been arrested and charged with a
crime, but not yet convicted? - Are you in bankruptcy or plan to
file for bankruptcy?
A bold notice on your rental application form should read:
Falsification of this information is grounds for a ten day
Notice to Move if discovered later by the landlord or
management.
With the information found on the rental application the
landlord can begin the screening process. It is the landlord's
responsibility to be sure the tenant is the right person to
occupy the home or apartment... and that the home or apartment
is right for the applicant.
A qualified tenant is one who can afford the rent and has the
characteristics necessary to coexist with the neighbors or other
tenants. On the other hand a landlord should not rent a one
bedroom unit to a four member family.
The screening process includes
checking the tenant's credit
rating. Someone who has a long list of late payments and unpaid
debts could immediately become a problem tenant. Solve that
problem before it begins by forthrightly explaining to the
prospect why he or she is not eligible to occupy the property.
The best eviction is one that occurs before occupancy.
Along with a good credit history you must check prior rent
history and search public criminal records for indications of
behavior problems. You can ask the tenant's prior landlord to
fill out and return a written questionnaire on the tenant's
length of tenancy, payment history, violations of lease terms,
etc. Yes, you can ask buy few landlords will answer. If they do
reply they will avoid any negative report for fear the tenant
might see the report and bring legal action against them. More
practically, you might just call the present or prior landlord
and learn what you can verbally.
Many people who have a criminal record have reformed and are
leading exemplary lives. However, even for a sympathetic
landlord to rent to a felon is playing with fire. If the felon
shoots a neighbor or another tenant... and it comes out in the
police report that the landlord was aware of the criminal
record, it is probable that someone will sue the landlord.
Make no mistake about it... fair housing laws require you to
treat all prospective residents the same. Make sure you have
your rental criteria in place and that it is reasonable.
About the author:
Mark Walters is an investor who offers free real estate
investing videos at http://www.CashFlowInstitute.com
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