Rent and applications
What do landlords see in a tenant background check?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
A typical tenant screening report includes your credit report or score, past addresses, eviction filings and judgments, and in many cases criminal records, along with identity verification. Some landlords also verify income and call past landlords. What they can consider, especially criminal history, depends on state and local law.
Screening companies pull information from credit bureaus and public court records. The details vary by company and by what the landlord orders.
- Credit: payment history, debts, collections and any money owed to former landlords or utility companies.
- Eviction records: filings and court judgments, which can appear even if the case was later dismissed, depending on the report and local rules.
- Criminal records: some cities and states limit what landlords may consider, such as older convictions or arrests that did not lead to a conviction.
- Identity: confirming your name, date of birth and Social Security number match.
Most negative items fall off consumer reports after about seven years, with some exceptions. Screening reports can also contain mistakes, such as another person's eviction under a similar name.
If you know something negative will appear, it is usually better to mention it up front with context than to let the landlord find it first. And if you are denied because of the report, you have the right to see it and dispute errors.
Want the whole picture? Read Renting Your First Apartment: Applications, Leases and Move-in Costs.