How We Screen Your Rental Applicants

Tenant Screening in Clackamas, OR

Kerr Properties provides thorough, compliant tenant screening for residential rental properties throughout Clackamas County and Multnomah County. Our screening process is designed to reduce risk for property owners while staying fully aligned with Oregon and local fair housing laws.

We work primarily with single-family homes and small multiplex properties, which allows us to apply consistent screening standards and manage approvals carefully without shortcuts.

Screening Built for Oregon’s Rental Laws

Tenant screening in Oregon requires precision. State regulations, combined with additional rules in certain jurisdictions, leave little room for error. Kerr Properties applies screening criteria consistently and lawfully to protect owners from discrimination claims and procedural mistakes that can create long-term issues.

Our process prioritizes fairness, documentation, and adherence to current regulations.

Core Screening Standards

Every applicant is screened using the same foundational criteria, applied uniformly and without exception.

• Credit, Background, and Criminal Checks We review credit history, background reports, and criminal records through a professional third-party screening provider. These checks help identify patterns that may impact an applicant’s ability to meet lease obligations.
• Eviction History and Rental Verification Prior evictions and rental history are reviewed carefully. We also verify previous landlord or homeownership information, understanding that accuracy and context matter when evaluating past housing performance.
• Income and Source Verification Applicants must demonstrate verifiable income that meets our established requirements. This helps ensure rent affordability and reduces the likelihood of payment issues after move-in.

Managing Portland and Statewide Screening Rules

Oregon rental laws are not uniform across all jurisdictions.

Multiple Screening Criteria Sets

Kerr Properties maintains separate screening criteria when required, including additional rules that apply in Portland. This ensures each property is screened correctly based on location, rather than applying a single blanket standard that could expose owners to legal risk.

First-Come, First-Served Application Process

To remain compliant and reduce fair housing exposure, Kerr Properties operates on a strict first-come, first-served basis.

Reducing Risk Through Process

Once a completed application is received, the property is taken off the market. Additional showings stop, and no further applications are accepted. If the applicant meets the screening criteria, they are approved. This removes subjectivity and protects owners from accusations of selective approval.

Multi-Step Application Review

Tenant approvals go through multiple layers of review to ensure consistency and accuracy.

Third-Party Screening and Internal Oversight

Applications are processed through a professional screening service, then reviewed internally before final approval. W. Sean Kerr personally reviews applications to confirm that the criteria have been met and that the process has been followed correctly.

This approach ensures decisions are informed, documented, and defensible.

Setting Realistic Expectations for Owners

Screening reduces risk, but no process can guarantee perfect outcomes.

Applicants may appear qualified on paper while presenting challenges later, particularly when prior landlords misrepresent tenant history. Kerr Properties is transparent about these realities and focuses on doing the process correctly from the start, so owners are protected if issues arise.

Screening Designed to Protect Owners

For property owners in Clackamas County and east Multnomah County, tenant screening isn’t about speed or volume. It’s about compliance, consistency, and making informed decisions that hold up over time.

Kerr Properties’ screening process is built to safeguard owners, respect fair housing laws, and support long-term tenancy success.