How to turn down an adopter in a good way

While I'm at it, asking questions, I thought I'd ask y'all about what I think is one of the hardest things about adopting out pets - turning adopters down. It's necessary to do but I'm very bad at it. I think it's especially hard when I've been emailing them back and forth and they apparently think that adopting the cat is just a formality. I feel like I'm getting their hopes up and then I have to let them down.
How do you guys turn people down? What do you say? Sometimes it's something clear cut that makes me turn them down but sometimes I just feel that they are unfit. Not because of something specific, just the whole impression they make. What do you say then? "You can't adopt Fluffy because I think you're unfit"? You can't say that.

Something I'm dreading is having to turn down an adopter after having done a home visit. I've only had to do that once and those people made it quite easy for me but I really don't know how to handle it when it happens again. Sometimes people can look good on paper and you've approved their application but when you meet them and see their home you just get bad vibes or they say something that sets off red flags. How do you handle that in your rescue? I don't want to offend anyone and I certainly don't want to turn someone off from adopting. So how do you tell them that you've not approved them after meeting them and seeing their home?

I'm not the confrontational type at all so I think this is really hard. I'm curious how others deal with it. If anyone can give me some input on the issue, both from a rescue's and an adopter's perspective, that would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

This is a difficult thing to do. I think that if you have a good reason, it is probably easier. One thing we have talked about is getting a score card of sorts for adopters. Then they need to score a certain amount of points to be approved. If they do not meet the criteria, then you have reason to deny them. We've talked about being able to approach it as, Well you currently do not meet our criteria for adopting an animal, but in the future if....... Fill in the blank. Sometimes it's young kids that are too crazy, well you could say, right now you children are young and very energetic. I do not think right now is a good time for you to get a pet. When your children get a little older, perhaps you should try again.

It is difficult, but I think part of it is not to be too enthusiastic from the start, then they will not feel so totally let down. Make it clear that adoption is NOT a formality, and that it is very important to match the right animal with the right home, for the sake of both sides. Then it is easier to be honest later, if you feel it is not right.

Like mentioned above, we score adopters based on several factors (with some points being defining factors, allowing the cat outdoors etc), if they do not meet those requirements we simply tell them no.

We have everyone fill out the app before they even see the animals, so for us, it is easier to say no, we dont have any time commitment with them and they have not fallen in love with one of the animals. We make it clear its not a formality and usually turn down at least one person a day.

We also always give them a chance to rectify the points that they failed on (bringing vaccines up to date, fencing in a yard etc) but will try to let them down gently, like Rang mentioned inviting them to re-apply at a later date etc

Some people are just jerks however and I will basically tell them they dont deserve to have a pet and place them on the do not adopt list