After you apply, we review your credit, eviction history, income and references first, and only after a written conditional offer do we look at criminal history, limited to what Maryland law allows. Every decision comes to you in writing, and you always have the right to respond.
This page explains each step in order, what we ask for, and what has to happen before you get keys.
Step 1: pre-qualification and the application
Every applicant starts with the free pre-qualification form on our website. It takes about three minutes and there is no credit check at this step. It asks about household income, rental history and household size so we only schedule showings for homes that fit. We rent to households with gross income of at least 3 times the monthly rent. If you have a housing voucher, the 3x rule applies to your share of the rent and utilities only.
After the showing, you complete the full rental application at eastern.properties/apply/. Every adult who will live in the home, 18 or older, applies and is listed on the lease. A guarantor or co-signer is allowed and completes the same application.
The application fee and the screening reports
There is a $25 application fee for each adult applicant, paid to Eastern Properties Group by card when you submit the application. It is not refundable. It covers the work of processing the application and the notices and letters the law requires at each step; it does not cover the screening reports.
You pay TransUnion directly, through its SmartMove service, for your stage one screening report. The report is the SmartCheck Non-Criminal Standard report, $39, which covers credit, eviction history, income insights and identity and contains no criminal record. We do not accept screening reports or background checks bought from another service; every applicant is screened the same way through SmartMove. Before you pay anything, we give you the written notice Maryland law requires, on the state housing department’s form. It explains how criminal history is used, that you get an individualized assessment, and that you may send evidence of errors, rehabilitation or other mitigating factors.
What we ask for
- Valid government-issued photo ID for every applicant 18 or older.
- Proof of income: recent pay stubs, a benefit award letter such as a Social Security award letter, or bank statements if you are self-employed.
- Contact details for current and previous landlords.
- Voucher or subsidy details, if any, so we can plan the inspection and paperwork with your caseworker.
Step 2: stage one screening
Stage one looks at credit, eviction history, income and employment, and landlord references. Criminal history is not pulled, asked about or considered at this stage. The only exception the law allows before an offer is a question about a short list of specific offenses: certain sex offenses, child pornography, first and second degree murder, human trafficking and sex-offender registration. That is the rule under the Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act (SB 937), which took effect on October 1, 2026 and covers landlords that own or manage five or more Maryland units, including us. Because we check criminal history, we check it for every applicant who reaches stage two, not some.
Credit history is a primary factor. Medical debt and student loans are not treated as disqualifying.
If you have a housing voucher or another income-based subsidy, Maryland State Government 20-705.1 applies from October 1, 2026. We assess your rental history and your share of the rent and utilities, using the same income ratio as every other applicant. You are not refused for your credit score, for having no credit score, or for adverse credit from a time when you did not have the subsidy. Landlord references and any history of lease violations, unpaid utilities, nuisance or property damage may still be considered.
A stage one decision normally takes two to three business days once the TransUnion report is in.
Step 3: the conditional offer
If stage one checks out, you receive a written conditional offer. If stage one does not check out, you receive a written denial with an adverse action notice that tells you which consumer report was used and how to get a free copy and dispute errors.
Step 4: stage two, the criminal history check
Only after the written conditional offer do we run a criminal background check. It uses TransUnion’s SmartCheck Premium report, $49, which repeats the stage one checks and adds the criminal record. You pay TransUnion directly for this report, as you did at stage one. The law limits what can be weighed after the offer: felony convictions from the five years before you applied. Arrests, misdemeanors and older felonies are not considered. The report is seen only by our General Manager and our Operations Manager. Property owners never see it.
If the offer is withdrawn
A conditional offer can be withdrawn only for a substantial, legitimate, nondiscriminatory interest. If that happens you get a written withdrawal with the specific reason and your right to a reassessment. A landlord who breaks these rules faces a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation. You can ask for a copy of everything we relied on within 30 days, and we send it within 10 days of your request. Send us your written evidence and we look again, weighing the offense, your age at the time, time passed, rehabilitation, any safety risk, and whether it happened at a rental.
Step 5: approval and deadlines
Approved applicants receive an approval letter. It sets two deadlines: the date to sign the lease and the date to pay the move-in invoice. We take no holding deposit.
Before keys
- Sign the lease in DocuSeal at sign.eastern.properties. You sign first, then we countersign. The current Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights is attached to every lease. Every EPG lease also offers you the option to have your on-time rent payments reported to a consumer reporting agency. It is optional, costs no more than our actual cost and never more than $10 a month, and you can start or stop it at any time; if you stop, you can restart after six months (Real Property 8-208.4).
- Pay the move-in invoice. It covers the security deposit and first month’s rent and is paid through the Stripe link in the invoice. No cash or personal checks. Maryland caps the deposit at one month’s rent, and deposit plus first month cannot be more than two months’ rent in total. You receive a deposit receipt.
- Lead paint documents if the home was built before 1978: the lead inspection certificate and the required notices.
- Move-in inspection with you present, signed by both sides, with photos.
- Keys. Released only after the lease is signed, the invoice is paid and the inspection is signed.
- Within 5 days of keys: proof of renters insurance.
- Within 7 days of keys: utilities in your name, where the lease requires it.
You also get a welcome kit and a 30-day check-in.
Common questions
Do I pay anything to apply?
A $25 application fee per adult, paid to us by card when you submit, which is not refundable. You also pay TransUnion directly for the stage one report, the SmartCheck Non-Criminal Standard report, $39, and, if you receive a conditional offer, for the stage two SmartCheck Premium report, $49. We do not accept reports bought elsewhere.
Do you check criminal history?
Only after a written conditional offer, and only felony convictions from the last five years plus specific offenses the law lists. Arrests and misdemeanors are not considered.
Can I apply with a voucher?
Yes, at every home we manage. Your income is measured against your share of the rent and utilities, and you are not refused for your credit score or for having none. We look at your rental history.
Can my rent payments help my credit?
Yes, if you want. Every EPG lease offers on-time rent reporting to a consumer reporting agency at cost, capped at $10 a month. It is optional and you can stop at any time.
How will I hear back?
In writing at every step: the conditional offer, any denial or withdrawal with the reason, and the approval letter with your deadlines.
Can I dispute a decision?
Yes. A denial letter tells you how to get the report and dispute errors. A withdrawal letter tells you how to request a reassessment and send evidence.
Do you hold the home while I decide?
No. We take no holding deposit. The approval letter sets the deadline to sign and pay, and the home stays available until then.
Sources
- Maryland General Assembly, SB 937 (2026), Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act, Chapter 752, effective October 1, 2026: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0937?ys=2026RS
- Chapter 752 of 2026 (SB 937), enrolled text: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_752_sb0937e.pdf
- Maryland General Assembly, SB 335 (2026), income-based housing subsidies and positive rental history reporting, Chapter 773, effective October 1, 2026 (State Government 20-705.1 and Real Property 8-208.4): https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0335?ys=2026RS
- Chapter 773 of 2026 (SB 335), enrolled text: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_773_sb0335e.pdf
- Maryland Real Property 8-203 (deposit cap): https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=grp§ion=8-203&enactments=false
- EPG, Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act: renting with EPG: https://eastern.properties/maryland-fair-chance-housing-renting-with-epg/
- EPG, Renter resources (3x income rule, vouchers): https://eastern.properties/renter-resources/
- TransUnion SmartMove, SmartCheck report pricing as at 7 October 2026: https://www.mysmartmove.com/
- EPG knowledge base: Leasing Model (application, screening and move-in standards), Policy Book 03 sections 2 to 4; screening fees and voucher practice confirmed by EPG management, 7 October 2026