How am I supposed to add someone to a lease when they want to prove that he has an income before he's allowed to sign it?

I've been in this apartment for three years with various roommates, and with the rental agency for five. Now I'd like C. to move in. But C. has no income, or credit history, or job because oh, we're doing this legally, and so they may not allow me to sign the lease for next year. Handling the rent solo by myself, because rents in Connecticut are insane, puts it over the 30% or whatever recommended level they're advised to rent to.

Anyone else have to deal with this? C. has a job offer, and we'll have his employer write him a letter ("start date contingent on whenever the heck he gets an EAD"), but for the love of Christ if anyone else in this damn process needs a pound of flesh they're going to have to wait because I'm fresh out.

Any ideas?

Oh lordy, I do sympathize. It sucks to get through the whole visa process and then get hung up on things when he will finally be there! And I definitely understand CT rents ... blows me away when I talk to my friends who live there and hear how much they pay.

Have your been dealing with a higher-up at the rental agency? Maybe pleading your case to a supervisor, etc. who may have a little more flexibility would work. When is your lease due to be renewed?

I know this option sucks, especially for an independent adult, but this visa process makes us accepts things we wouldn't ordinarily: can your parents co-sign the lease with you to allow the income to be over the 30 % and then you can add C. also? I am remembering that when I got my first apartment at 19 (with roommates) in DC (rents exorbitant there too), my mom and the other parents all had to cosign because we were poor starving college students!!!

Good luck

Hi, I empathize with your situation and understand the difficulty you are facing.

I am a landlord, not in Connecticut. Let me explain why some of the rental agencies are unbending in their rules. Every landlord must have a written policy stating EXACTLY how they will handle each situation. If their policy is not to add someone to the lease unless they meet certain criteria, such as having a job, then it must be this way, without exception. The reason there is no exception to these policies is the "FAIR HOUSING ACT". According to the way the Fair Housing Act is implemented they would actually open themselves to a lawsuit, by the Federal Goverment, for "discrimination". If they allow you to add someone to your lease that does not have a job, which is in violation of their written policy, then they must have the same rule for EVERYONE. No exceptions.

Landlords are the most frequently sued businesses in the US. Believe me when I say there are lots of things we can't do that would seem reasonable in any other situation or business. For instance; if someone comes in to apply for housing and is a double amputee in a wheelchair. BY LAW we are not allowed to ask them if they would like a ground floor unit, rather we must make available all the units in the type they are looking for to them and they must make the decision. We are not even allowed to comment on the wheelchair, or as stupid as it sounds, even look at the wheel chair "wrongly". I know these things seem absurd, but in the rental business they are very real.

Every year there are thousands of "volunteers" that are out trying to "rent housing". They are there for one thing only, to try to find any violation in order to sue the landlord. It is estimated that any property with more than 100 units is visited at least once a year by these "volunteers". I have been to many fair housing seminars where we are trained what we can and cannot do. Some of the regulations are completely understandable, others are completely absurd, but we must do them whether we agree with them or not, if we want to stay in business.

I hope this helps a little.

Update: Landlord says they'll do it, but they'll give me full financial responsibility, and list him as an approved occupant, not as a co-signer, which makes me fully responsible for the rent. Which is just redundant with Department of State & Homeland Security at this point, anyway. Thanks!

Dean, thanks for the info. I suspected there was something like that going on, and obviously they're in business and need to follow the regulations. It's just that if I hear one more time "that's weird, why can't he work/just come here/have a social security number", I'm going to lose it.

We are trying to put me on the lease as well, but we are still waiting on my 'background' check...sometimes i feel a bit overwhelmed about all the suspicions but i guess better that than letting just anyone be your neighbor...

Even though it is not nearly the same thing, good luck, i hate all the things we have to go through to make it all LEGAL but it is worth it!

I recently tried to add my husband to my lease (I've been here 4 years). After paying $40 for a credit check, they found he has no credit. (Duh! He's a social security card for 2 weeks and been here for 6 weeks). Apparently this changed the status of the apartment and we were told now they will accept only certified checks or money orders for rent payment.

I spoke with the manager who is sympathetic but doesn't have to authourity to override the rule. So now we are putting together a letter with supporting documents to request an exemption from the regional manager.
I am hopeful , but i guess my credit and fours years of payments might not count for anything.

The place I live in, you have to have people approved to live with you. I was tempted to not bother telling them about it, in fear I'd lose my place (the rent is soooo cheap, its a steal, for sure) I ended up going in talking to them, since I wanted to do everything the right way, and I gathered all the necessary information, even though it was all from the UK. His employer, his references, credit check, police check, even his national insurance number? The lady had never dealt with this situation before, but was pretty nice about it all. She didn't think I'd be losing my place and I just got something in the mail saying he is eligible to move in, just have to supply her with more info when he gets here. Sooo, once we get a SSN, we'll give it to her, even though it doesn't have any info on it!

Good luck you guys!

I am feeling your pain!! It is made worse by the fact that in Canada I had a job, I have credit, I have great references for living, but in the US, none of that counts or is even taken into consideration, it's like I just started to exisit 2 months ago. Nice. 30 yrs old, and just now in "existance". Frustrating.

1) Do you have an executed (signed & delivered) lease?
2) Does the lease have language about payment methods accepted and exceptions to this (is your exception listed specifically)?
3) If #2 is definitely no, this may be a Fair Housing issue which means the complex/management company may have violated the law (may).

~Otto

Thanks Otto!
The lease was renewed by me in August 2006 for 18 months. The new lpapers they gave us to sign with his name added and my surname changed is still dated for August 2006 for 18 months and not a new lease to begin this month.

I will check the language regarding payment. I am sure the apartment complex is not trying to screw me but follow their policy. It now makes sense after reading your post and Dean's why they may have had to make this alteration. If the regional manager is unable to make an exception, then I will still be frustrated, bt at least I will know its the law rather than policy.

I'll be talking with the regional manager later this week when she returns from vacation. and will update here.