How to Handle Employment Verification When The Tenant Is Moving From Out of Town

Finding the right tenant—the one who pays rent on time and doesn’t make a fuss—is rarely smooth sailing. It requires a lot of work, from thorough tenant screening and reference calls to proactive fraud prevention.

But when your applicant is planning to move from another city or state, the screening process gets even trickier.

Verifying employment for out-of-town applicants often comes with extra hurdles, like reviewing alternative documents instead of the expected pay stubs because they’re switching jobs or starting a remote role.

While moving across state lines, especially for a job, isn’t unusual, it opens the door to new challenges—like unfamiliar employers or hard-to-reach HR departments. 

But we’re here to help, covering how to verify employment accurately, spot red flags, and protect your property from potential fraud when dealing with out-of-town applicants.

Quick Insights

• Out-of-town applicants typically require alternative employment verification documents, like offer letters, remote work confirmations, or proof of savings.
• Common work scenarios for out-of-town applications include new local jobs, remote roles, company transfers, self-employment, or relocations without employment.
• Always verify employers using publicly available contact details—not just what the applicant provides.
• Red flags from out-of-town applicants include vague or missing employer details, employers refusing to confirm letters or job roles, far-off start dates without proof of income, defensiveness, unverifiable companies, and general inconsistencies.
• Approve applicants only when you can verify employment or financial stability through credible sources, and decline if verification fails or documents seem suspicious. 

Why Out-of-Town Employment Verification Requires Extra Attention

Potential tenants relocating to your area might not have the documents needed for traditional employment verification. If they’re starting a new job, they might not have a pay history with the employer, so they won’t be able to provide pay stubs.

Instead, they might share a job offer letter with a future start date or claim to be working remotely.

While these all can be legitimate, they’re more challenging to confirm than other methods of income verification—especially with fraudulent job offer letters and unverifiable claims on the rise.

And traditional, manual methods, like talking with a current landlord, might be more challenging if they’ve been staying with friends during their transition or are moving internationally.

Without these familiar touchpoints, you need to adapt your process to make sure you confirm every detail, verify employment, and make sure every document passes the fraud test before approving the application.

5 Scenarios You Might Encounter with Out-of-Town Applicants

Not all relocations are the same. Understanding the different likely scenarios lets you tailor your screening process, ask the right employment verification questions, and decide where you need to apply extra scrutiny.

Here are five scenarios you might encounter with out-of-town applicants.

1. Tenant’s Starting a New Job in Your City

If an applicant is starting a new job in your city, they may only have an offer letter—with no pay stubs or W2 documents yet.

In these cases, it’s best to confirm the employer’s legitimacy by checking their website and business registration online. Then, speak directly with the employer to verify the applicant’s start date, role, and salary.

2. Tenant Has a Remote Position with a Company Based Elsewhere

Since the pandemic, remote work has been booming. In the US, approximately 22 million people—14% of the workforce—work remotely.

If your tenant claims to have a remote position with a company based elsewhere, this could easily be legitimate. But it can be harder to confirm without in-person context.

Make sure to verify that the company exists, research that the role is genuine, and confirm the remote status. You can do all of this by searching online for an HR or management contact with publicly listed contact info—don’t just rely on what the applicant provides.

3. Tenant’s Transferring Within the Same Company

A tenant transferring within the same company can be more straightforward, but still requires extra documentation. Ask for an internal transfer letter or updated employment contracts. 

You also need to verify that salary and benefits will be the same (or better) after the move.

4. Tenant Claims Self-Employment or Freelance Income

Freelance work has also steadily increased over the years. In 2023, 38% of the US workforce, or 64 million Americans, performed some type of freelance work. And that number is an increase of four million total professionals from the previous year.

If your applicant is self-employed, a gig worker, or a freelancer, request multiple forms of proof of income to confirm their cash flow is both legitimate and sustainable. Alternate forms of proof of income include:

• Tax returns
• Recent client invoices
• Signed project contracts
• Bank statements that show consistent deposits

5. Tenant’s Relocating without a Job

If your applicant is relocating without a job, employment verification won’t apply, but you need to assess their financial stability, confirming that they can pay their rent. 

Ask for the following before approving the application:

• Proof of savings
• Investment income
• A guarantor who meets your requirements

Reliable Documents to Request in These Situations 

When verifying employment for out-of-town applicants, request documents that fit each scenario and give you clear, verifiable proof of income and job status.

Here are some general examples:

• A signed employment offer letter that includes a start date, salary, and employer contact information
• An email or written confirmation from the employer’s HR department, ideally on company letterhead
• Their first pay stub or onboarding paperwork (if the applicant has already started the role)
• Recent bank statements showing deposits from the new or previous employer
• Tax returns or 1099s for self-employed applicants, along with client contracts or invoices
• Proof of remote work status for remote employees, such as a company policy, job description, or written HR confirmation

These documents help confirm the applicant’s employment and give you multiple data points to cross-check, making it harder for fraudulent documents and claims to slip through.

How to Verify Employment When They Haven’t Started Yet

When a tenant is relocating for a new job, requesting pay stubs is off the table—you’ll need to go straight to the source. 

Call the employer directly (using publicly listed contact details, not just what’s on the application) and confirm three things:

• The offer’s legitimate
• The applicant has accepted the role
• The start state and job details match what the applicant told you

Then, ask HR or the hiring manager to back this up in writing, ideally on company letterhead or from a verified company email.

If the employer dodges questions, takes too long to respond (or even reply at all), or offers vague answers, take note. It doesn’t always indicate fraud, but it’s a red flag that signals to slow down and dig deeper before approving the application. 

6 Red Flags to Watch Out for in Out-of-Town Employment Claims

Many relocation applications are legitimate—but it’s worth knowing the warning signs if something’s off. Employment verification scams are more complex to catch when you can’t rely on local knowledge, so spotting these early red flags can save you from bigger problems—like the dreaded eviction process—later down the line.

1. No Contact Information

A valid offer letter should include clear employer contact details and professional formatting. If the offer is missing phone numbers, email addresses, or uses a generic template, be wary. There’s a chance a fraudster used a fraud-as-a-service (FaaS) tool to create a fake document. 

2. Employer Refuses to Confirm Offer

When HR won’t confirm a job offer, or the organization doesn’t appear in a public business database, that’s a clear red flag. When you do reach out to the employer, make sure you research and find the contact details on your own—some savvy fraudsters set up fake numbers and emails to try to outsmart landlords.

3. Start Date is Weeks Out

If the applicant’s start date is far in the future and they can’t show savings or other income to bridge the gap, there’s a risk you could be left with a tenant unable to pay rent before their job begins.

4. Applicant Gets Defensive

Most genuine applicants understand that you need to verify their details. If they become defensive or evasive when you ask for more documentation, it’s worth pausing until you can confirm the facts.

5. No Verifiable Company Details

While many remote work claims are real, it’s a big red flag if the company has no online presence or a traceable job description. This makes it hard to prove the role even exists and should give you pause.

6. Inconsistencies

An applicant’s reported income or employment history doesn’t line up with their lifestyle, documents, or other application details? This mismatch is a sign to investigate further before moving forward.

Tips for Handling Out-of-Town Employment Verification Smoothly 

Relocation applications always run more smoothly when you have a clear, repeatable tenant screening process in place. Some tips to make the process easier and more reliable include:

• Create a standard checklist for relocation cases, including required documents, verification steps, and contact points.
• Use connected payroll software if the applicant has already started their role and is comfortable sharing access—you can do so with Snappt.
• Request more proof of income or savings if the tenant hasn’t yet started their job.
• Consider requesting a larger deposit or requiring a qualified co-signer if employment hasn’t started.
• Document your process with every applicant to stay consistent and compliant with fair housing laws.

Follow these tips to speed up employment verification, reduce errors, and spot applicant red flags before they become expensive problems—all without losing good tenants in the process.

When it’s Okay to Move Forward—and When it’s Not 

Some relocation applications are good to go once you’ve done your homework. 

It’s reasonable to approve tenants who:

• Have a verified job offer with a confirmed start date
• Can provide proof of sufficient savings or supplemental income to cover rent
• Pass other screening checks, including credit and background checks and renter references

But you might want to hold off—or decline—applicants who:

• Can’t verify their employment or income via credible sources
• Submit documents that appear suspicious, altered, or impossible to confirm
• Show other warning signs of risk or dishonesty during the application process

Remember, the goal isn’t to make relocation harder for applicants—it’s to make sure your property’s protected while still welcoming qualified tenants. Strong verification practices mean you can do both.

Verify Out-of-Town Tenants with Confidence

Out-of-town tenants can make excellent renters, but their applications call for a closer examination, especially when it comes to employment verification. From new job offers to remote roles, these cases often require extra steps to confirm details and rule out fraud.

By staying on top of common scenarios, spotting red flags, and using the right tools, you can confidently approve qualified applicants without putting your property at risk. Want to spot fake documents before they become a problem? See how Snappt can help you verify income and detect fraud fast and easily.