Why Tenant Screening Matters

A bad tenant can cost landlords thousands in unpaid rent, property damage, and legal fees. Thorough screening before signing a lease is the single most effective way to protect your investment property.

Professional tenant screening goes beyond a basic credit check. It includes identity verification, prior address history, eviction records, criminal background, and employment verification.

What to Include in Your Screening

A comprehensive tenant screening should include: identity verification (confirming the applicant is who they claim to be), address history (verifying where they've lived), employment verification (confirming income), criminal background check, eviction history search, and reference checks.

1SkipTrace can assist with the data-intensive portions of tenant screening — identity verification, address history, employment information, and background checks — providing verified results you can rely on.

Legal Requirements

All tenant screening must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and applicable state/local fair housing laws. You must obtain written consent from the applicant, provide adverse action notices if you deny the application based on screening results, and apply your screening criteria consistently to all applicants.

Our reports are formatted to support FCRA-compliant screening processes, giving landlords and property managers the documentation they need.