An application is considered complete when the property manager or their assigned office has received ALL of the following items either via email, fax, or physical delivery for each and every occupant that is 18 years or older and/or guarantor. To expedite this process, it is recommended that if you are sending documents via email, include both the Property Manager and Leasing Agent as indicated above with the rental property address in the subject line

Please provide to your Property Manager ALL of the following items:

  1. Completed Rental Application:
    • Either online at www.wpmnorthwest.com (see attached instructions) or paper version (request from your leasing agent or property manager).
  2. Payment of $42 (plus tax) Screening Fee:
    • Applicant will have the ability to provide a credit card number while completing the online application, or write in their credit card number on our paper application.
    • We do not accept checks or cash for payment of the screening fee. Screening fees are paid to a 3rd party.
  3. Copy of Photo ID:
    • Can be either state or government identification. We cannot accept military ID’s as they cannot be copied under law.
    • Name(s) on ID(s) must match names on other documents (such as application and income statements). Any discrepancies will require applicable legal documents.
  4. Proof of Income:
    • Applicant must meet financial requirement of earning 3 times the monthly rent, provide proof of income.
    • Guarantors must provide proof of earning 5 times the monthly rent.
    • See further in this document for acceptable proof of income formats.
  5. Agreement and Confirmation of Terms:
    • Upon receipt of your application the property manager will contact you with a follow up email confirming terms such as monthly rent, lease term, deposit, pet policy, etc.
    • Please be sure to respond to this inquiry ASAP to confirm you agree to said terms.

Once all requirements listed above have been fulfilled by each occupant 18 years or older, the property manager will be in touch with you within 24 hours to review the terms. Any application with unanswered questions or missing items will be considered incomplete and may not be submitted for review. *Please note, WPMLGA does not accept comprehensive reusable tenant screening reports

If this property is within the Seattle City limits, the following paragraph shall apply: In the event an applicant has a sensory, physical, or mental impairment that limits a major life function, or needs meaningful access to the application form (i.e. applicant does not speak English and needs a translator) and is not able to complete an application in a timely manner, they can make a request for additional time or a reasonable accommodation to extend their application period for up to 72 hours. Please submit your request directly to the Property Manager with the requested timeline to complete the application, the reason for your accommodation request and documentation supporting your request.

ACCEPTABLE PROOF OF INCOME FORMATS:

Unless otherwise advertised, any two adult applicants may pool their income to meet the 3x monthly rent standard.  All additional adult occupants thereafter must financially qualify individually showing proof of income earning 3x the monthly rent on their own.  In the case of a guarantor, they are required to show proof of income earning 5x the monthly rent.

Please provide one or more of the following proof of income formats:

  • Copies of last two paystubs
    • Must include employer name, employee name and pay period on each stub
    • Paystubs can be no older than the last 3 months
  • Offer letter from prospective employer
    • Must be on employer letterhead, include applicant’s name and compensation summary
  • In the case of self-employment
    • Provide bank statements for the last 3 months (must show name of bank, account holder name, statement date, summary of deposits and balance)

AND

  • Income tax statement for the previous year (W2, 1099 or first 3 pages of IRS 1040 form)
  • Proof of savings
    • Provide 3 bank statements for the last 3 months (must show name of bank, account holder name, statement date, summary of deposits and balance) showing a balance of three times the monthly rent for entire lease term or first 12 months, whichever is less.

* For example, monthly rent is $2500 x 3 = $7500 x 12 = $90,000 minimum balance

  • Proof of alternative source of income
    • May be from a lawful verifiable source other than wages, salaries, or other compensation for employment including, but not limited to: Section 8 vouchers, social security benefits, unemployment benefits, charity programs, maintenance or child support, and/or any federal, state, local government, private or nonprofit administered benefit program.

In the case of providing a voucher which is less than advertised monthly rent, applicant must provide proof of income qualification for difference (aka their portion) as described above.

HOW TO COMPLETE OUR ONLINE RENTAL APPLICATION:

  1. Go to https://wpmnorthwest.com/
  2. Click on APPLY NOW
  3. You will be led to our 3rd Party screening company On-Site to complete the rental application.
  4. If you are applying online, you will be prompted for a credit/debit card to pay the non-refundable 3rd party $42  (plus tax) screening fee.

If you do not have access to a computer, please ask your leasing agent for a paper application to fill out or you can visit any one of our offices listed above to request a paper application in person.  Should you need to deliver any applications or other documents in person you can do so at any of our 3 office locations.

Seattle
819 NE 65th Street
Seattle WA  98115
Main: (206) 527-0400
Fax: (425) 242-5226
Bellevue
700 112th Ave NE, Ste 203
Bellevue, WA  98004
Main: (425) 455-5515
Fax: (425) 242-5226
Mill Creek
15418 Main Street Unit M102
Mill Creek, WA 98012
Main: (425) 672-2000
Fax: (425) 242-5226

Business hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm. We are closed in observance of all major holidays. The Seattle and Bellevue offices each have a secure dropbox for document delivery if you visit during non-business hours. Drop-box deliveries will be time-stamped as received on the next business day that the office is staffed.

If your application/screening process is run initially, not resulting in a lease, and then at your request transferred to another WPM/LGA property with different screening guidelines, the necessary portion(s) of the screening will be run again and may result in an additional screening fee.

OUR CRITERIA FOR TENANT SELECTION:

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS:

Your credit screening will be completed by our 3rd party vendor On-Site.  We recommend that if you have a “freeze” currently placed on your credit, you have it “lifted” prior to your screening.  If your application is not approved, you are entitled to contact the provider of the report to discuss. They may be contacted at:

RP On-Site, LLC

2201 Lakeside Blvd | Richardson, TX 75082

Renter Relations: (877) 222-0384 | www.renterrelations.com

We require a positive credit history with:

  • No more than 20% of derogatory accounts
  • No more than $500 worth of accounts in collection
  • No non-discharged bankruptcies
  • No money owing to a previous landlord (with the exception of unpaid rent between 3/1/2020 – 12/31/2021)
  • No unlawful detainer action or eviction history
  • At least 1 active account being rated to establish history
  • First time renters, with no established credit or rental history, may require a Guarantor

LANDLORD REFERENCES:

Each applicant must be able to demonstrate a pattern of meeting rental obligations, leaving prior rental properties in good condition and not having a pattern of complaints from neighbors.  Applicants can have no prior evictions, and must have verifiable references for positive rental or mortgage history over the last 36 months.  Please note that you must provide contact information for the previous landlord, including email address, and they must take or return inquiries made to them from On-Site within 48 hours of initiation of screening or we may move on to the next application.

LEASE OVERLAP:

Screening results will be impacted if there is more than a 60-day overlap between the proposed lease start date on your application and the remainder of your current lease term, if applicable.

CRIMINAL HISTORY:

History of criminal activity on the part of any proposed occupant which presents a danger to persons or property or the peace and enjoyment of other residents or members of the community could negatively impact your application.  When evaluating any past criminal convictions (if allowable), we consider the nature (whether it indicates a potential risk to person or property or shows incident(s) of identity theft) and severity of the crime and the amount of time that has passed since the criminal conduct occurred. If you have any mitigating factors you wish us to consider, please bring them to our attention.  Individual assessments may be performed and additional charges to the applicant may apply.  The criminal history portion of your screening will be conducted in accordance, if allowable, with the current legal requirements of the jurisdiction in which the property you are applying for is located.

ANIMALS ON THE PROPERTY:

If you intend to have a pet on the property you must obtain permission in advance.  All pets must be properly licensed and you may be asked to provide a record of current immunizations.  Service/Companion animals are defined as an animal that provides necessary medical support for the benefit of an individual with a disability. In this case, we will require written documentation of the animal’s status as a service/companion animal in order for your application to be considered complete.

GUARANTORS:

If you do not meet one or more of the above criteria, you may be able to qualify for a rental unit if you have a third party that will guarantee your lease.  The guarantor must fill out an application, pass the screening process and have income equal to five times the monthly rent as well as good credit history.  In the case of a guarantor, an application will not be considered fully complete and received until their information is submitted to our office or directly to the property manager.

FALSE INFORMATION:

If at any time the applicant provides false information or a gross distortion of the truth on their rental application, it will result in an automatic denial.  Such falsified information may affect legitimacy of tenancy if discovered in the future.

LEASE & MOVE-IN:

Once your screening has been completed and approval received, a lease will be sent to you for review either by email for eSignature or you will meet with your property manager in person to review and sign.  Once the lease has been provided to you, sign (per Seattle First in Time, a 48-hour deadline to sign is required. All other jurisdictions will also have a 48-hour requirement unless otherwise notified by your Property Manager or any superseding law) and return to our office along with the following:

  1. Certified funds (cashier’s check or money order) equal to first full month’s rent payable to WPMLGA
  2. For full management accounts where we will be your main contact throughout the tenancy, you will be given instructions on the various ways that you can pay rent beyond the first month of your lease.

The lease and first full month’s rent payment can be delivered to any of our three office locations. Business hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm. We are closed in observance of all major holidays. If you need to deliver checks after hours, please notify your property manager to let them know you will be using the drop box. The Seattle and Bellevue offices each have a secure drop box for document delivery if you visit during non-business hours. Drop box deliveries will be time-stamped as received on the next business day that the office is staffed. Use of the drop boxes, rather than personal delivery and receipt, is at your sole risk of loss.

Seattle819 NE 65th StreetSeattle WA  98115Main: (206) 527-0400Fax: (425) 242-5226 Bellevue700 112th Ave NE, Ste 203Bellevue, WA  98004Main: (425) 455-5515Fax: (425) 242-5226 Mill Creek15418 Main Street Unit M102Mill Creek, WA 98012Main: (425) 672-2000Fax: (425) 242-5226

After your lease has been signed, your property manager will provide you with a copy of the document for your records.  As the move-in date approaches, they will be in touch with you to schedule your move-in walk through. Please note that the appointment will most likely be set on a weekday during normal business hours.  At this appointment, the property manager will:

  1. Complete, review and have you sign a move-in condition report which outlines the current condition of the property on move-in day. Please note that photos will be taken and we will provide you with a copy of the move-in report.
  2. Collect the security deposit which must be certified funds (cashier’s check or money order) payable either to WPMLGA or your new landlord.
  3. Hand over keys, fobs, garage openers, etc.

Please note: We are not able to hand over keys if we do not receive a certified funds security deposit in exchange for the move-in condition report.  Please plan ahead to ensure you have certified funds available.

If you are not able to be present for the move-in walk through you will need to assign a personal representative that will be approving the condition in your absence, and assign specific/limited Power of Attorney appointing the named representative to sign the inspection form as your authorized agent. A copy of the personal representative’s ID will be copied and retained on file.  We are not responsible for damage incurred after the personal representative has signed the move-in condition report.

Once keys are handed over to you, you are welcome to move your personal possessions in anytime thereafter, subject to any applicable HOA restrictions.  In the case of a condominium/apartment building, you may be required to make a second appointment directly with the concierge/building manager for a building orientation, to reserve an elevator, to understand moving truck procedures, etc. Please understand that we are not able to allow personal belongings (i.e., furniture) into the home prior to the move-in walk through.

VIEW RENTER’S HANDBOOK BY CITY / JURISDICTION

In certain cities where WPM/LGA leases properties, there are mandatory “Renters Handbooks” that the landlord must provide to the tenant.  The current handbooks, where applicable, are linked below.  By acknowledging receipt of this Tenancy Criteria, you are acknowledging that you have been provided the Renters Handbook & related information if you intend to sign a lease in any of the following cities / jurisdictions.

Auburn Renter’s Handbook

Burien Renter’s Handbook

Burien’s Renting In Burien Website

Seatac Renter’s Resources

Seattle Renter’s Handbook

Washington Secretary Of State Voting Information