This is completely valid and understandable. I think my point in commenting here is to show that blanket demands about things like application fees hurt some of people that they aren’t meant to target. Many of my neighbors are in the same boat as me — owner-occupied 2+ family homes with good people who care about our tenants and the neighborhood. There are a lot of corporate investors in the city but there are also a lot of property owners that are not getting rich off our tenants, and are simply trying to find a sustainable way to own property. I cannot afford to own a single family home in the city, I rely on my tenants to help me pay my mortgage and I pay that back with reasonable rents and a safe, clean space. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have my tenants cover the cost of a background check when we share a living space together.