OT - How to tell someone to shut up without offending them?

[Guv Bob]

Tell them the apartment is soaked with blood, and are they OK with red carpet?

[Gordon Shumway]

All I want to know is why the hell were you dating my wife!!!

[Todd]

Hi Nestork,

In my business (computer consulting), when a new customer calls and talks our ass off, it is a red flag. They never amount to any paying work.

-T

[Moe DeLoughan]

I suppose they're doing that in hopes of making a good first impression. If you don't care about first impressions, have the application form ready. Hand it to them as quickly as you can while telling them they'll hear back from the person who reviews the apps if/when they are approved for renting the apartment. If they're already nattering, wave the app at them to signal that you need to speak, and then tell them the line.

You want to imply that you are not involved in the process, so there's no point in them trying to make a good impression on you.

[Guv Bob]

Suddenly shout, "OMG!! There's a wasp on your head!! Quick! RUN!!! RUN!!! Keep running!!"

[Tekkie®]

nestork posted for all of us...

And I know how to SNIP

You were talking to my wife!

Seriously women love to tell their life stories. I would do a preemptive strike by having a throwaway email addy and they can request the form by email or mail in advance. You can prequalify them and move forward. Either that or take another female with you that can act as a "foil" and break in and cut the conversation off at the pass. Have her float around and act like she wants to rent. Tell the prospective renters that previous contacts did not fill the form out completely or properly and they were disqualified.

When I sense my wife doing this I roll my eyes at the contact and say to my wife "Hey honey, he really doesn't have time to listen to your story. let's stay on track." We've been married 39 years and knows the score.

Uh, good luck with that!

[Pico Rico]

Truth is, I

then you are not doing your job as well as you should be.

[nestork]

No, Pico. It's just that the memory cells in my brain are excellent house keepers. If they see that they have stuff that they're never going to need, they throw it out. In the case of some applicant telling me why she's moving and why she wants to live close to her daughter and where her daughter works and whether she likes her job or not, that stuff gets thrown out before the applicant even leaves the building. What the memory cells in my brain want to keep is just the stuff that matters; what her former landlords say about her, where she works, how much she makes and how much seniority she has, whether she smokes or has any pets. That's the stuff that affects my decision whether or not to rent to her, not where her daughter works and how much seniority her daughter has.

[Pico Rico]

"I am moving because I really didn't get along with my neighbors." - throw that one out? Or do you have a "check box" on you application form for that?

"I am moving because my landlord was always on my case about keeping the place clean." - throw that one out? Or do you have a "check box" on you application form for that?

"I am moving because my daughter lost her job again and I had to lend her money and let her move in with me for a while, so her methhead boyfriend would leave her alone for a while and not keep coming to my house and harassing her." - throw that one out?

You cannot expect these people to just tell you only what you want to hear. That has nothing to do with renters, it is part of life for a lot of people. So, do as you say - pay attention and save what is important. Throw out the rest. There is a lot more info that could be important than what is identified on your form, or which will never get written down on a form.

[gonjah]

Just try being honest and polite. "I'm sorry but I'm real busy right now. Please fill out the application and I'll get right back to you."

Tell them why you don't have time. If they don't like it they can talk to themselves.

[Todd]

And reach over for a bat to smack the wasp with! :-)

[Not]

You're in the position of a salesman, and a good salesman loves to hear prospects talk, because they give you information you can use to make the sale.

If you're not the salesman type, or don't have time to go through the procedure, you would probably do better by having an agent do the renting.