Tenant Background Check
We are getting ready to rent one apartment in our 2-family home. Can any landlord with similar experience give advice on tenant background checks? Thanks!
We are getting ready to rent one apartment in our 2-family home. Can any landlord with similar experience give advice on tenant background checks? Thanks!
It’s pretty standard to charge the prospective renter for the background checks too. I had to pay them when I rented last.
First, off – you should never accept a credit report from a tenant. You should do the check yourself, incl a criminal and housing court check (something a regular credit check may not bring up). Your applicants should pay for it.
Look online or go down to you local realtor and offer to pay (at cost) for a background check, most brokers(hoping to get future business) would usually oblige. The paperwork Allan suggested you ask for is reasonable.
Thank you all for your answers.
I never pay for background checks. I ask my tenants to provide the following, if they like the apartment enough they usually go out of their way to get me everything quickly…
– Verification letter (from Employer stating annual salary and length of employment)
– 2 Recent pay stubs from employer
– Credit Report
– Current landlord name/tel#
– Two (2) references
– Two recent bank statements
– Valid ID (drivers license or passport)
Allan S.
make your own disclosure form and check out their info here
https://www.1-background-checks.com/
Because of new privacy laws, background check companies now have a annual fee and very strict regulations and application process (for you to become a client). One i have used years ago is http://www.saferentrpp.com. For a pretty hefty fee, they will give you a background report with a risk score.
Over the years i found this kind of services to be not as good as doing the research myself:
Ask prospect tenants to give you a copy of a recent credit report (they can pull on free from https://www.annualcreditreport.com), ask for job pay-stubs, call previous landlords, call job supervisor, if you have doubts, you can go as far as asking past tax returns, letters of recommendation. The ultimate protection is to request for a guarantor.
good luck.