Renting to prospects with no legal documentation

How do you as managers get around leasing to residents who have no social security, or driver's license. With todays legal immigration laws, are we subject to fines? Even, though we are not in the immigration business, it is very difficult to determine legal status.

I have known investors who would rather purchase properties with residents of illegal status because they do pay rent on time, in money order form and do not want any issues with the Law. We all know there are many property with illegal immigrants. How do you get around it without discriminating?

The last place I managed had a fair amount of residents without legal status, and it was common for them to "skip" and leave the premises in poor condition. There was no reason for them to take care of the home or give proper notice, since there were no legal or financial ramifications for doing otherwise.

It is not illegal for a housing provider to require proof of residential status. A renter doesn't have to be a citizen, but if they aren't, they can be required to have a valid visa or green card.

Tenants who do not have legal status here tend to range from good to bad tenants just the same as everyone else. I will say that if you require some kind of documentation that you make sure that you start doing it across the board. It must be the same for everyone. The company I work for does require a social security number or a W-7 so that you can do a credit check. If the concern is that they may skip out or leave with damages and you wont be able to find them I can understand. What we have done In that case for our prospects is tell them that if you don't have a social or W-7 # that you must have a co-signer who does so that someone is still accountable if I am unable to find them. Then you are not discriminating or limiting your possibilities for renters as well as having someone who you are able to contact and find so your complex is not out financially.