IMHO the only databases that a landlord can justify charging for checking are criminal records, and even they must be taken with a few spoonfuls of salt. Credit records have little usefulness in predicting the likelihood of a tenant opening a drug house in the landlord's house.
For example, my own credit score is in the 400s (average is in the 600s and 800 is tops) largely because I haven't borrowed any money since the 1970s. Yet I paid my rent, taxes, etc. on time every month. And as far as UD records go, filings mean nothing- back in '84 my last and final landlord filed a UD on me and I easily won in court, but I suspect I'm still on someone's tenant blacklist. Now I realize Denny Hecker et al would love me, but I have no need of such shylocks. But what's truly disturbing is that such questionable data is being used for totally inappropriate uses like deciding who gets a job (my reputation as a workplace troublemaker is totally unrelated to my credit score). And the use of credit ratings for setting auto insurance rates is totally uncalled for- I think the collection of safe driving awards I've earned at work is a better reflection of my risk than my credit rating.
Well, at least dennyhecker.com doesn't charge an application fee... landlords, get with it!
redlined and underrated in Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
