Landlords are doing background checks on tenant applicants more than ever, but a recent story about a landlord who tried to rape an apartment seeker in Spokane, Washington raises some serious questions about who should be doing the background checking.

What is most troubling about this case is that this landlord had a prior criminal history and was set free by a judge during appeals after a jury convicted him of rape. While free waiting appeals court, he tried to rape again.

As a tenant, you are generally under the presumption that the person renting you a house or apartment is credible because, after all, he/she owns the dwelling you wish to occupy. You, unfortunately, are the vulnerable and unsuspecting. Cases of sexual harassment by bosses are similar to this type of situation, where the person believes he/she has power over you and your life.

The truth is that you really don’t know who to trust in this world – so, if you're suspecting at all, get a background check on that person – even if it's your landlord.

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