Guide to Tenant Background Checks

It’s common for landlords and property management companies to learn more about their prospective tenants. To do so, they often perform a tenant background check. As a renter, reviewing your background check in advance can help you anticipate what landlords might see, making the rental application smoother and more predictable. 

In addition, your prospective landlord may ask you to pay for and provide a background check, or you may wish to present one proactively to increase your chances of securing your preferred home or apartment in a competitive real estate market. Here's what you need to know about tenant background checks.

Tenant criminal background checks collect and review information about a tenant before entering into a rental agreement. The main reason that landlords and property management companies perform the tenant background check process is to mitigate risk—landlords want to know who they’re renting to so they can feel confident that their new renter will take care of their properties, pay rent as promised, and be a safe neighbor to current tenants. Ordering a tenant criminal background check and other background screenings provides landlords with information that they can use to make informed decisions about whether to accept or reject a rental application.

The information a renter background check shows varies based on the types of background screenings the landlord requests, but they often include the following standard screenings:

A criminal background check may include records of felony and misdemeanor convictions, violations, active warrants, and infractions at the federal, state, and local levels, depending on the scope of the background check.

A credit background check may show the potential tenant’s credit score, payment history, current debt ratios, and recent credit inquiries.

An employment verification confirms position and job titles, dates of employment, and employment status. Where allowed by law, an employment verification may also include salary information. 

A rental history may include previous addresses and landlords or information about past evictions or related legal issues.

An income verification is used to assess a potential tenant's ability to afford rent and meet their financial obligations. Landlords typically request various documents to confirm an applicant's income, such as paystubs or bank statements.

You can run a background check on yourself to get a tenant screening report. Doing so lets you see what information a landlord may receive when running a tenant background check. This way, you’ll know what to expect and have an opportunity to dispute inaccuracies or provide context to any information in question. 

Some prospective tenants proactively offer a copy of their background check to prospective landlords before filling out a rental application to help expedite the application process.

Ordering a personal background check with Checkr is simple and results are often available within minutes. You can order a personal background check that includes:

You can also request a free copy of your consumer credit report once per year from the major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Landlords have several options when choosing to conduct tenant background checks with a third-party provider. Here’s a look at the top three tenant screening services.

SmartMove® by TransUnion is a tenant background screening solution for landlords. The reports may include a tenant’s credit, criminal, and eviction history as well as income information and identity verification. Landlords can choose whether to pay for the report or require the tenant to pay the screening cost.

E-Renter is a tenant screening service designed for landlords and property management companies, offering tenant background checks that may include a  criminal record search, credit reports, eviction records, sex offender search, and identity verification. The company also offers free resources for landlords, such as background check forms and templated leases for houses and apartments.

RentSpree is an all-inclusive tool for landlords to screen tenants, process payments, and create rental listings. The tenant background check reports may include a criminal record search, eviction history information, income verification, and credit report. The company also offers a reusable rental application for individuals.

With Checkr, you can be informed and empowered with your personal background check results to see what landlords may see. Reports may include an SSN trace, sex offender registry check, global watchlist search, and national and county criminal searches. You can easily order your background check and review the results in the secure, online portal.

TruthFinder enables individuals to conduct a personal background check online that includes a comprehensive search of public records, criminal records, social media profiles, and more. TruthFinder's reports may encompass details such as contact information, location history, criminal and traffic records, and associated social media accounts.

The easiest way for landlords or property management companies to conduct a background check on renters is to have a tenant complete a personal background check and provide a copy. A landlord background check gathers the necessary information to make an informed decision about a rental application without the added time and expense of performing the background check themselves.

The turnaround time for a background check for an apartment can vary, but in most cases, the process is complete in one to three days. Some factors that can affect the turnaround time include the availability of online records and the scope of the background check; complex background screenings may take longer. Having tenants obtain their own tenant background checks may expedite the process, eliminating the need for written permission. 

As a tenant, knowing what’s on your criminal record is essential. Running a tenant background screening on yourself allows you to address inaccurate information; plus, proactively supplying a prospective landlord with a copy of your background check may help set you apart from other tenants. 

With Checkr, you can quickly order a tenant criminal background check on yourself and expedite the process of renting a home or apartment. Our pricing and intuitive platform make performing a personal background check affordable and straightforward — you just need your Social Security number and US zip code to get started. Order your personal background check.

About the author

Hayley Harrison writes about a wide range of business topics and best practices, including background checks, candidate experience, and recruitment and retention. Her work includes educational articles, e-books, and blog posts.