Open source tools for free investigatio x

Toolbox full of resources for private investigationz
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1. Investigating Private Landlords Kae Petrin Digital Reporter St. Louis Public Radio

2. Investigating Private Landlords Kae Petrin Digital Reporter St. Louis Public Radio

3. The Story Outing a landlord with dubiously legal leases, shady management, well-covered tracks and a long history of complaints

4. What merits an investigation of a “bad landlord”?

5. Serious red flags Repeated lawsuits Complaints to fair housing agencies, formal or informal Lease alterations, lock changes and utility shutoffs Unusually high quantity of consumer complaints Leases that seem invasive or overreaching

6. The bigger picture Are companies receiving public money? What are the demographics of the neighborhoods around units? How many units? Does the company actively purchase and develop complexes? How many people in protected categories tend to live in the apartments?

7. Records challenges

8. Problems Solutions Working around public records limitations on private entities Emails involving public officials, private documents made public in court cases, tenants who kept documents, permits, inspections Landlords use different LLCs, websites, and names — so who owns x property? Search agent names on Craigslist and Zillow, reverse domain name lookups, public hearings for tax abatements, Secretary of State business filings Property records: Combine tax records, ownership history in county records, warranty deeds/deeds of trust to find owner names City business licenses, state incorporation papers, state or federal court records, mortgage records, utility records

9. Crucial documents Leases Lawsuits Fair housing complaints Inspection records Permits Unit condition checklists Security deposit receipts and write-ups Emails between management and tenants Emails between owners and city Property listings (online and in classifieds) Consumer complaints (Yelp, BBB, etc.) Warranty deeds/deeds of trust Optional but useful

10. Useful Sources Contractors Landlords who purchased properties with or from a company Landlords who sold to the company Neighbors ...who aren’t tenants

11. Valuable tools

12. Finding connected companies and properties WHOIS: Reverse domain/IP lookup and other information, across many sites StatusLite: Owner, contact information, age PropertyShark : Can reveal owner information; especially useful if you’re working in multiple unfamiliar markets Property databases: Parcel lookup systems in your city to confirm ownership; names may differ, but agents and/or addresses usually the same Assessor’s office: Depending on how city or county stores data, may be able to get owner information Citizen Service Bureau/inspectors/permits: Code violations; tenant and neighbor complaints; sourcing contractors Business filings: State may provide them free of charge, online or by public records request; cities also have licenses Better Business Bureau : JUST evaluates whether a business is “real” or a scam, but retains complaints and complaint responses for 3-year periods

13. The Story Outing a landlord with dubiously legal leases, shady management, well-covered tracks and a long history of complaints

14. What merits an investigation of a “bad landlord”?

15. Serious red flags Repeated lawsuits Complaints to fair housing agencies, formal or informal Lease alterations, lock changes and utility shutoffs Unusually high quantity of consumer complaints Leases that seem invasive or overreaching

16. The bigger picture Are companies receiving public money? What are the demographics of the neighborhoods around units? How many units? Does the company actively purchase and develop complexes? How many people in protected categories tend to live in the apartments?

17. Records challenges

18. Problems Solutions Working around public records limitations on private entities Emails involving public officials, private documents made public in court cases, tenants who kept documents, permits, inspections Landlords use different LLCs, websites, and names — so who owns x property? Search agent names on Craigslist and Zillow, reverse domain name lookups, public hearings for tax abatements, Secretary of State business filings Property records: Combine tax records, ownership history in county records, warranty deeds/deeds of trust to find owner names City business licenses, state incorporation papers, state or federal court records, mortgage records, utility records

19. Crucial documents Leases Lawsuits Fair housing complaints Inspection records Permits Unit condition checklists Security deposit receipts and write-ups Emails between management and tenants Emails between owners and city Property listings (online and in classifieds) Consumer complaints (Yelp, BBB, etc.) Warranty deeds/deeds of trust Optional but useful

20. Useful Sources Contractors Landlords who purchased properties with or from a company Landlords who sold to the company Neighbors ...who aren’t tenants

21. Valuable tools

22. Finding connected companies and properties WHOIS: Reverse domain/IP lookup and other information, across many sites StatusLite: Owner, contact information, age PropertyShark : Can reveal owner information; especially useful if you’re working in multiple unfamiliar markets Property databases: Parcel lookup systems in your city to confirm ownership; names may differ, but agents and/or addresses usually the same Assessor’s office: Depending on how city or county stores data, may be able to get owner information Citizen Service Bureau/inspectors/permits: Code violations; tenant and neighbor complaints; sourcing contractors Business filings: State may provide them free of charge, online or by public records request; cities also have licenses Better Business Bureau : JUST evaluates whether a business is “real” or a scam, but retains complaints and complaint responses for 3-year periods