Managing rental property in Oxford's student market comes with unique challenges. When self-managing property owners ask us about screening Ole Miss students and their parent guarantors, there's often hesitation about requiring full background checks for both students and their parents. It feels awkward asking parents of students to submit to screening, especially when initial conversations go well.
We get it. But our years of experience managing properties for Ole Miss students have taught us some valuable lessons about why thorough screening matters - for everyone involved.
The Reality of Student Rentals
Let me share two situations that highlight why screening matters. In one case, a student applied with their parent as guarantor. Everything seemed fine on the surface - the student was polite, and there were no obvious red flags during our initial conversations. The parties we spoke to all seemed like great people. However, during our standard screening process, we discovered the student had multiple judgments from a previous rental that hadn't been disclosed.
In another instance, while screening a parent guarantor, we found concerning credit issues that suggested they might struggle to fulfill their guarantor obligations if their Ole Miss student couldn't pay rent. Without proper screening, both situations could have created serious problems - not just for the property owner but for the other residents and their families, who would have been jointly responsible under the lease.
Having the Conversation
We often meet families with deep roots in small communities similar to Oxford, where reputation and relationships are everything. There's an unspoken implication that their reputation should speak for itself. We love that about our area. But rental agreements are legal contracts, and while personal relationships are valuable, they can't protect property owners from potential losses or liability. The screening process helps establish the same professional foundation for everyone, regardless of where they're from.
"This seems like a lot of extra steps." We explain it this way: screening protects everyone living in the home. Before signing a lease that makes you jointly responsible with your University of Mississippi roommates, wouldn't you want to know they're reliable? The same goes for guarantors - their financial stability directly affects everyone on the lease.
Creating Success Through Clarity
We've found that being upfront about requirements creates smoother relationships for rentals:
- Each student needs their own application
- Every student needs a guarantor who also completes an application*
- Application fees cover essential background, credit, and eviction checks
- Everyone follows the same process - this ensures fairness and legal compliance
*While we prefer each student to have their own guarantor, we understand this isn't always possible. In these cases, all existing guarantors must acknowledge in writing that they understand one or more roommates don't have a guarantor. This ensures everyone is clear about their responsibilities under the lease.
To support applicants through this process, we share the video above when they request the application. It walks students and their guarantors through each step, explaining not just what they need to do but why it matters. This is part of the effort we put into ensuring clarity and fairness for all parties involved.
We’ve learned that when everyone understands the reasoning behind the requirements, it creates trust and smoother experiences throughout the lease term. By taking the time to educate applicants, we’re not only protecting property owners but also setting residents up for success.
Practical Steps for Self-Managers
If you're handling your own rental property, here's what works:
- Start with proven screening criteria - There's no need to reinvent the wheel. We've spent 17 years refining our application criteria through real-world experience renting properties to Ole Miss students. You can view and adopt our current screening standards here. We're constantly updating these based on market changes and lessons learned.
- Partner with a reliable screening service - While professional property managers have access to industry-specific screening systems, we recommend TransUnion's SmartMove (mysmartmove.com) for individual landlords. It provides comprehensive reports, including credit, criminal, and eviction history, in an easy-to-use format.
- Apply the same standards to every application - This isn't just good practice; it's essential for fair housing compliance.
- Document your approval decisions - Keep clear records of why applications were approved or denied based on your written criteria.
- Maintain applicant privacy - Handle personal information securely and professionally.
- Be ready to explain your process clearly - Transparent communication builds trust with potential residents and their guarantors.
Building Strong Foundations in the Ole Miss Community
Thorough screening isn't about distrust - it's about creating successful rental relationships. Our experience managing properties in Oxford, MS, shows that doing things right from the start leads to better experiences for everyone in the home. Most residents and guarantors appreciate knowing their roommates and co-guarantors have been properly screened.
Have questions about how to screen your applicants for your rental property near the University of Mississippi? We'd be glad to help!
