Rental Criteria
Modern Property Management — Rental Screening Criteria
Effective Date: 7/1/2025
These written rental criteria apply to all properties managed by Modern Property Management ("MPM") in King and Pierce Counties, Washington, including properties located in Tacoma, Puyallup, Fife, Sumner, Bonney Lake, the JBLM/Lakewood/unincorporated Pierce County area, Federal Way, Auburn, Des Moines, and SeaTac. Where a city ordinance imposes additional or stricter requirements than Washington State law, the stricter requirement applies to properties located within that city (see "City-Specific Provisions" below).
MPM complies with the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18), including 2025 amendments under HB 1217, the federal Fair Housing Act, the Washington Law Against Discrimination (RCW 49.60), and all applicable local rental housing codes. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, source of income, or any other protected class.
Application Process
Every prospective occupant 18 years of age or older must submit a separate, complete application. Adults may combine income to meet income requirements. Please let us know if an adult occupant will not be financially responsible; that person's income will not be included in the income calculation, but they must still apply and pass all non-financial screening.
Application fee: $35 per applicant age 18+, reflecting the actual cost of screening. The fee is charged only after you have received these written criteria.
Comprehensive reusable (portable) tenant screening reports: MPM does not accept comprehensive reusable tenant screening reports as defined in RCW 59.18.257.
Completed applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. An application is "received" when every adult occupant has submitted a fully answered application (including landlord names and contact information), all supporting documents (last 3 months of verifiable income, copy of identification), and the application fee.
Inaccurate or falsified information is grounds for denial.
If an application is denied or an adverse action is taken, MPM will provide a written adverse action notice stating the reason(s), as required by RCW 59.18.257.
Identification
All adult residents must present a government-issued photo ID in person prior to move-in so that the individuals screened match the actual occupants.
A Social Security number is not required to apply. Applicants without an SSN, or who prefer not to provide one, may instead submit: last 2 years of income tax filings (ITIN filings accepted; SSN/ITIN may be redacted), 12 months of complete bank statements (all pages), 12 months of verifiable on-time rent payments (checks, ACH records, money order copies, or property-management ledgers), 12 months of verifiable on-time utility payments, and evidence of no civil judgments within the last 5 years.
Income Criteria
Standard (all properties except within Tacoma city limits):
Combined verifiable net (take-home) monthly income of at least 2.5 times the monthly rent plus $1,000. Income must be from a verifiable and lawful source. Applicants within 10% of this requirement may qualify with an approved co-signer if all other criteria are met.
Properties within Tacoma city limits (TMC 1.95 / 6.30):
If the monthly rent is below the current HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the unit size, combined income of no more than 3 times the monthly rent will be required.
If the monthly rent is at or above FMR, combined income of no more than 2.5 times the monthly rent will be required.
Current FMR figures: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html (Seattle-Bellevue and Tacoma-Lakewood metro areas, current fiscal year).
Source of income / rental subsidies (all properties, RCW 59.18.255):
MPM accepts all lawful sources of income, including Section 8/HCV, HOP, HAP, VASH, HEN, Social Security, child support, and other benefit programs. Attach the subsidy program's issued paperwork to your application.
For subsidized applicants, the income requirement is applied only to the tenant's portion of the rent.
Employment & Income Verification
Twelve months of current verifiable income. Submit the last 3 months of pay stubs, or current benefit award letters.
Self-employed applicants: verified through the Washington Secretary of State / Department of Revenue, plus last 3 months of bank statements and last 2 years of tax returns.
Rental History
3 years of positive, verifiable third-party rental history or home ownership is required. Applicants who lack sufficient history may qualify with an approved co-signer if all other criteria are met.
5 years of eviction-free history is required. Consistent with RCW 59.18.367, unlawful detainer actions or evictions arising during the COVID-19 public health emergency period will not be considered. An eviction arising from circumstances beyond the applicant's control (e.g., documented medical hardship), where the applicant did not damage the home, vacated before a writ issued, and is making a good-faith effort to resolve any balance, will be considered with a co-signer.
Three or more 14-day pay-or-vacate notices within one year, or three or more NSF payments within one year, will result in denial.
Rental history reflecting past-due and unpaid rent will result in denial unless an existing payment plan is being paid as agreed.
Credit Criteria
A credit score of 650 or higher is required. Adverse debt on the consumer report may require a qualified co-signer.
A score below 650 and/or three or more unpaid collections may be considered with a qualified co-signer, depending on the circumstances (e.g., documented medical debt, identity theft, or hardship rather than a pattern of avoidable delinquency). Medical debt is weighed in context and is not, by itself, disqualifying.
Applicants using the no-SSN documentation path above are evaluated on that documentation in place of a credit score.
Criminal History
MPM does not automatically exclude applicants with a criminal history. Arrests, charges that did not result in conviction, and pending charges are not considered. Convictions are evaluated through an individualized assessment considering:
The nature and severity of the underlying conduct;
The age of the individual at the time of the conduct;
How much time has passed since the conduct and release;
What the applicant has done since (employment, education, treatment, tenancy);
Any evidence of rehabilitation or mitigating circumstances the applicant chooses to provide.
Convictions older than 7 years (measured from release from custody) are not considered, with the following exceptions, which may result in denial regardless of age after individualized assessment, due to direct risk to residents, neighbors, or the property:
Offenses requiring lifetime registration as a sex offender;
Manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance on residential rental premises (RCW 69.50 / 69.53);
Arson (RCW 9A.48);
Violent offenses as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 committed against a landlord, property staff, or other tenants.
Any applicant whose tenancy would constitute a demonstrable, current direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or the property, which cannot be reduced by reasonable accommodation, may be denied.
Occupancy Standards
Maximum occupancy is generally two persons per bedroom, plus one additional occupant per household (HUD Keating Memo guidance), subject to any stricter limits in the applicable local building, structures, or property maintenance code and the septic/well capacity of the specific property.
Children and familial status are never a basis for denial or different terms.
General Requirements
Renter's insurance is required and must be maintained throughout the tenancy.
No smoking inside any MPM-managed home.
Pet policies (type, number, size, deposits) are property-specific and stated in each listing. Pet deposits comply with applicable caps, including Tacoma's 25%-of-one-month's-rent limit. Assistance animals are not pets: no pet deposit, pet rent, or pet screening applies, and reasonable accommodation requests are processed in accordance with fair housing law.
Total refundable deposits and move-in fees will not exceed one month's rent, and applicants have the right to pay deposits and move-in costs in installments as provided by RCW 59.18.610 and applicable city codes.
City-Specific Provisions
Tacoma (TMC 1.95 Rental Housing Code & TMC 1.100 Landlord Fairness Code): At the time of application, Tacoma applicants are directed to the following as required by TMC 1.95.030: (1) the City of Tacoma Rental Housing Code information page — https://www.cityoftacoma.org (search "Rental Housing Code TMC 1.95") — for information on code enforcement actions relating to the property and any findings or settlements related to housing discrimination; and (2) the Washington Secretary of State voter registration page — https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters — to register to vote or update your address. Tacoma applicants will also be informed of their right to pay deposits and move-in costs in installments and provided the City's installment payment form.
SeaTac (SMC 4.05): Tenants with a regular fixed income source may request an adjustment of the rent due date, and an application will not be refused on the basis of such a request.
Auburn (ACC 5.22 / related code): Tenants receive the "Renting in Auburn: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants" at lease signing as required by the City.
Federal Way (FWRC 20.05): Tenancies are subject to Federal Way's good-cause eviction ordinance. This does not alter screening criteria.
All other locations (Des Moines, Puyallup, Fife, Sumner, Bonney Lake, JBLM/unincorporated Pierce County): Washington State law applies as the baseline. Properties in the City of Lakewood are additionally registered under Lakewood's Rental Housing Safety Program where applicable.
Co-Signer Requirements
Credit score of 720 or higher; no adverse debt on the consumer credit report.
Net income of at least 4 times the monthly rent (3 times for properties within Tacoma city limits).
These criteria are provided to every applicant before the application fee is charged, as required by RCW 59.18.257. Questions: Modern Property Management, 253-528-6301, info@north-realty-brokers.com.