The tenant screening process can be a complex task that requires multiple public and private records along with reference checks. The task of pulling these reports coupled with the task of evaluating them can be complex and cumbersome. However, modern day third party tenant screening companies make this process a whole lot easier. In one Internet query a landlord or property manager can request all these background checks with one click of a mouse.
A landlord when evaluating a potential tenant is looking for financial ability to pay the rent, previous rental history and previous legal history. The three background reports necessary to evaluate this criteria are credit checks, eviction checks and criminal background checks. A thorough tenant background check should include all three of these reports as well as rental history verification from a previous landlord and personal references to check character.
Using a modern third party tenant screening provider makes the task of vetting potential tenants very easy. However, it still is a complex process and with laws changing on the proper use of criminal history checks in background screening it gets even more complicated. Currently there are 16 States that have enacted ban-the-box legislation effectively removing the check box that asks the job applicant if they have ever been convicted of a crime. With ban-the-box legislation sweeping across the country and with the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) enforcing laws against discrimination, it is only a matter of time when the use of criminal histories in the tenant screening process will be scrutinized. That is why landlords and property managers should team up with a third party tenant screening company to help them get all the information they need to make an informed leasing decision and also to get information on laws that govern the background screening industry to help keep them compliant. To learn more about how tenant screening is both complex and yet infinitely easy please read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release.