Prior to offering residential property for rent, every owner and manager should develop written screening criteria that will be applied consistently to all applicants. Criteria should include minimum income requirements, credit, employment, and other objective criteria. Appropriate screening criteria will help rental property owners attract qualified applicants and quickly identity applicants who do not qualify. A property owner who establishes appropriate screening criteria should find, more often than not, that he or she ends up with tenants who pay rent on time and who adhere to house rules and policies. Consistent application of these criteria, including renting to the first applicant who qualifies, will protect against claims of discrimination. This paper does not set model screening guidelines for owners – that is a business decision for each individual property owner or management company. Instead it provides an overview of the legal, practical, and ethical considerations that should be addressed by an owner in the development and application of screening criteria. CAA recommends that owners have their written screening policies reviewed by an attorney prior to implementation.