| How to Conduct a Tenant Background Check |
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Records can be searched either by accessing free public records
online via the record holder's database (when available) or by
requesting a copy from the agency holding the record, usually
for a small fee.
Consult
Public Records ... Or, conduct an
Tenant Background Check online right now,
tapping our connections to a vast network of Public Records and Proprietary Databases. |
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Why Screen Potential Renters and Roommates?
Implement the tenant screening process to help eliminate your tenant problems. Rent to a properly qualified tenant, because a bad tenant can cost you money, or damage your property. You might be liable for the tenant's actions.
Check the backgrounds of potential renters who will have access to your home or business property. A tenant screening report will either confirm or expose false statements on an application. A tenant screening background check will indicate whether or not a person is financially secure and stable.
Phone Interview
Potential tenant's first contact with you or your rep is usually by telephone, so learn listen, and to
ask the right qualifying questions right then. You can learn a lot about people
even before meeting them.
Name, phone:
Reason for moving:
Number# of people:
Children & Ages:
Occupancy Date:
Pets?
Smoking?
Landlord Reference?
To further qualify the prospective tenant, mention up-front rent and security deposit requirements.
Personal Interview
Appearance
Is the prospect neat and clean? Does he or she make a good impression? An unkempt person generally maintains an unkempt lifestyle and home.
Vehicle
Does the prospect drive a presentable vehicle? Is it clean?
Attitude & Manners
Does the prospect show respect? Or do you sense this is someone you may find difficult to deal with in the future? Did the prospect wipe his or her feet when stepping into the rental,
or walk in while smoking? Pay attention to details.
The Application
Get a signed and dated rental application that includes a "Release of Information Statement." The
signed Application/Release will grant you the right to access medical, worker's
compensation, educational, credit, criminal, and court records.
A tenant screening report will either confirm or expose false statements on an
application. A tenant screening background check will indicate whether or not a
person is financially secure and stable.
Note: What you are looking for on the application are lies and inconsistencies -
differences between what you are being told and what public records and
propitiatory database searches reveal. Spend time going over the application;
don’t just toss it on the stack of applications you need to consider.
Get a signed application from all who will inhabit: roommates, husbands, wives
and cosigners. A screening report on every applicant is affordable protection
against renting to a potentially deadbeat tenant. Always cross-check information
provided by a prospective tenant.
There are two ways to confirm the information on the application. You can get
some information from the people listed as references. Other information must be
confirmed by records searches.
Tenant Screening - Sample Release of Information Forms
PDF File:
Application for Release of Information - Tenant
Word File:
Application for Release of Information - Tenant
PDF File:
Application & Notification for the Release of Information - Tenant
Word File:
Application & Notification for the Release of Information - Tenant
The Application for property rental should ask for (at minimum):
- Applicants full name, SSN, present address
- Addresses past 10 years
- Full names of all co-renters and all occupants
- Landlords past 10 years
- Employers past 3 years
- References (3) including addresses, phone
- Credit report
- Relatives names, addresses, phone numbers
- DOB, place of birth,
- Education
- Driver’s license number, state issued (make a copy of the license)
- Vehicles and property owned
- Professional license data
Confirm by Database
A tenant screening database search offered by information providers will confirm
your tenant's identity, SSN, DOB, address history, and reveal addresses not
provided on the application. Names of others who have lived with the subject and
neighbors will surface. These findings may prove valuable as some applicants
will intentionally leave out data regarding an unfavorable situation.
If you decide to deny rental, the application, along with your findings of
various databases, should be the basis of your evaluation. You must inform the
applicant the reason for denial.
Check References
Check References
Personal
Call the personal references provided on the application. Ask how long have they
have known applicant. Ask about character and reliability.
Landlords
Call the landlords listed on the application with questions: Were they good
tenets? Did they pay their rent on time? Was property left in good condition?
Were there any problems?
Neighbors
Refer to your database search for information for neighbors for previous
addresses. Ask: Did you know the applicant? Where they good neighbors? Did they
have noisy pets? Did they have loud parties? Did they take good care of the
property?
Employer
Contact human recourses or department supervisor. Inquire about "from - to"
dates of employment, salary range, job description.
Self Employed or Business Owner
Ask for copies of last two or three months banking statements. Or, ask for
copies of tax filings. Valuable information about a company is maintained by
each state's Secretary of State, corporation division. You may choose to run a
business background check on the applicant's company.
Public Records
Business and Professional Licensing
Is the business or professional entity licensed? Most every company and
individual doing business is required to be licensed to do business in most
communities. If you will be contracting for services, ask for a business card.
Is their license number on the card? You should get the names of owners and
principles, plus contact information. The county courthouse has "Doing Business
As" (DBA) applications on file that contain information about the people who
filed the application. Verify any required state license with the appropriate
licensing entity, usually the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State's
Department of Professional Regulation keeps records about licensed professionals
and the Accountancy Board reports on those licenses. Corporations, partnerships,
and sole proprietorships are all registered. Their filings are public record.
Much information about business enterprises, corporations, and the people
involved in these various entities is available from state repositories
generally located in or near each state's capital. See
State Directory
for individual states
Law Suits, Liens, Judgments, Bankruptcy Filings and Tax
Liens
These records contain information pertaining to adjudication, assets, tax liens
and mechanics liens and against individuals, business owners and principals.
These records are mostly stored at the County Court, where the individual or
business is located. State Records contain UCC filings, information about liens,
collateral, litigation, and judgments. Litigation instated by the government
such as bankruptcy filings and tax liens are within the Federal Court System.
Criminal History
Check records held by the various courts. Federal records are maintained at
Federal District Courts. The State Supreme Court, Department of Justice, keeps
state records. State records are stored in Criminal Records Repositories.
Criminal records are most complete at the county courthouse.
Criminal history searches should include a county criminal court search, a
statewide criminal courts search, a national Department of Corrections felon
search, and a search of sexual offenders’ databases. The OFAC's Patriot Act
Search Database is a watch list, a compilation database of national and
international databases.
Important: Criminal records are indexed by name and date of birth. This
information is often misrepresented by people who are attempting to make it
difficult to connect them to a record. Search databases inputting all known and
discovered variations and aliases.
Conduct a Criminal Records Search
The records will show:
- Charges, adjudication, and outcome
- SSN & DOB
- Physical description, aliases, personal information
- Spouse, children
Credit Reports
Obtain a credit report on a prospective tenant. The credit report is especially important because it will indicate whether a particular person has a history of paying rent or bills late.
You must contract with one of the credit bureaus or an information provider that is cleared to access credit reports and comply with the FCRA to obtain credit reports. Or you can request that your applicant provide you with a copy of their own credit report. There are many services on the internet that offer individuals a free copy of their credit report
To run a credit check, you will need a release, signed by the prospective
tenant, which includes name, address, and Social Security number.
This record is private and may be released only with the consent of the individual in question. If you have a signed release from the applicant, you may receive this information.The Credit Report will show:
- Account history, payment history
- Liabilities, collections, judgments
- Evictions, bankruptcies
- Credit activity, debt load
If you turn down an applicant because of negative information on a credit report, you must send the applicant an "adverse action" letter, which informs the
applicant of three things: the reason you rejected the applicant, the name and address of the agency that reported the negative information,
and, the applicant's right to obtain a free copy of the report by requesting it from that agency within 60 days.
Notice to Users of Consumer Reports: Obligations of Users Under the FCRA:
http://investigativeprofessionals.com/laws/Notice-to-Users-of-Consumer-Reports.pdf
Information Providers
Database Searches
Previous addresses, landowners, and roommates are revealed in database searches.
National, state, and county criminal courts records can be searched. Eviction
databases searches confirm application input information. Sex Offender databases
can be scrutinized. National trace searches confirm identity, past addresses,
and identify neighbors. Credit Header searches confirm Social Security Numbers
provided by applicant.
When selecting a tenant screening company, look for connections to a network of
nationwide eviction databases with direct access and fast turnaround time. A
local eviction or skip database source may not provide sufficient background
information on a tenant moving in from another state.
Or, conduct an
Tenant Background Check online right now,
tapping our connections to a vast network of Public Records and Proprietary Databases.
See Sample Report
Tenant Screening - Check List
Personal Information and Identity Verification
- Identity Verification. Important database searches prove or disproves identity, discovers or confirms "identifiers" like DOB, SSN, and addresses
- Also Know As (AKA's). Discover other names associated with subject
- Social Security Number (SSN) Search and Verification. Has your subject used other Social Security numbers in the past?
- Date and Place SSN Issued
- Others Associated with Subject's SSN. Current and Previous Addresses. Database returns dates of occupancy.
- Names of Persons at Each Address Subject Has Resided. May include spouses, family members, roommates, and live-in lovers
- Subject's Residence Property Owners
- Neighbors.
Financial Information
- Current Motor Vehicles Registered. Includes vehicles owned by others living at your subject's address
- Boats and Aircraft Ownership
- National and State Bankruptcies
- Tax Liens
- Judgments
- Civil litigation check. Has your subject been sued? Have they sued anybody?
- Evictions Search: We tap the national and state databases landlords subscribe to
Criminal Records
- Sexual Offender Search - State's list of sexual offenders
- Nationwide Criminal Record Search - National Convicts Database
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Investigative Professionals Background Checks
Our expert researchers tap connections to a far-reaching network of massive databases
containing more than four billion records to run background checks
and criminal records reports. Experienced database search
specialists will immediately go to work for you, to quickly return
real, meaningful results. Search results are regularly returned within hours.
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