As a property manager, one of the most important responsibilities you have is screening and securing new tenants for your vacant units.
Whether you’re managing a single-family home, apartment, or manufactured housing, having a challenging tenant in your units can cause quite a headache. From property damage to unpaid rent and evictions, a problematic tenant can cost both you and the property owner, valuable time and money.
The best procedure for avoiding problematic tenants is a thorough pre-lease screening process. A comprehensive screening process can seem overwhelming at first, so this article is designed to help you cut straight to the facts.
With the right tenant screening services, you’ll be sure to protect yourself from lost rent, non-payment, property damage, and costly legal battles.
While no tenant screening service is perfect, by investing in adequate screening services, you can save both time and money in the long run.
What to Consider When Choosing a Tenant Screening Service
When researching the best tenant screening service, you need to consider several different factors. Here are our top tips to keep in mind when looking for a tenant screening service:
FCRA Compliance
First and foremost, it’s crucial to choose a tenant screening service that’s compliant with the current FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) regulations.
FCRA compliance and in-depth staff training are essential. This will ensure that your tenant screening services are in accordance with the industry guidelines, along with state and federal legislation.
Pricing
As a property manager, there are different pricing models to choose from when deciding on a tenant screening service.
You need to consider all of your options. Many tenant screening services offer monthly, wholesale pricing, or pricing per report. We recommend calculating the number of reports you expect to run every month and base your pricing decisions on that average number.
Be sure to check whether there are any hidden fees involved with using a particular service.
Are Their Results Human-Verified or Guaranteed?
There are several computer-generated tenant screening services for efficiency and accuracy. However, we recommend choosing a company that uses human verification efforts in order to fact-check both credit and criminal databases.
By their very nature, databases can be flawed and outdated or have mistakes, so your tenant screening reports should be either human verified or at least come with a guarantee.
Today, we’re going to be evaluating some of our top-recommended tenant screening services based on the features they offer, customer ratings, pricing, and reviews.
We hope you find these helpful in determining the best screening service for your business.
Top Tenant Credit and Rental Background Check Services
Rent Prep
Pricing:
RentPrep offers two different pricing structures depending on your needs and the types of reports you need. Pricing is based on an individual basis, so you’ll be charged per potential tenant.
RentPrep offers two different screening reports.
The first option doesn’t require credit consent and delivers only a high-level screening report.
The second option does require credit consent from your potential tenant, but provides a more comprehensive credit report.
More Information:
For more information on RentPrep and its tenant screening services, visit https://rentprep.com/.
Our Review:
RentPrep was founded in 2007 to provide background checks to property management companies.
RentPrep is specifically designed to cater to property managers with specialized services and accessible pricing. RentPrep has a team of in-house, FCRA-certified screeners that provide over 3,000 tenant screenings annually to property managers across the country.
This addition of an actual person doing screening helps eliminate errors, so you can rest assured that your tenant screening reports are vetted by a real person. RentPrep has an outstanding reputation and is often ranked by third-party reviewers as one of the best background check providers in the United States.
RentPrep offers criminal background checks and credit screening for potential tenants in accordance with all local and federal legislation. All of RentPrep’s tenant screening reports include credit checks, address history, social security number verification, eviction data, and court record information.
RentPrep also offers one of the most extensive criminal record checks in the market, with access to multiple databases at the county, state, and federal levels.
Another excellent feature of RentPrep’s services is their efficiency and quick turnaround time. On average, property managers receive their tenant screening results within one hour during normal business hours.
While this might be slower than computer-generated tenant screening services, RentPrep’s one-hour turnaround time is very impressive, considering their in-house team vets every report thoroughly. This quick turnaround time makes them stand out from other credit check providers.
RentPrep has created an exceptional system for fast turnaround and guaranteed accuracy.
RentPrep offers scalable pricing packages, so you can customize your tenant screening services to best suit your property management needs. RentPrep also provides additional reports and extended data checking for a fee.
Here are just some of the different types of background checks that RentPrep can provide:
- Social security number verification
- Address history
- Criminal record
- Nationwide evictions, judgments, liens, and bankruptcies
- Credit score verification
- Full credit history
- Sex offender registry check
- Credit decision report
E-Renter
Pricing:
E-Renter is an extensive online record database that can provide quick and accurate background checks on potential tenants in less than a few minutes.
As a computer-generated reporting service, E-Renter offers scalable pricing, including three different plans. These three different plans allow you to choose which background check package is necessary for your property management company.
E-Renter offers a Basic plan, a Premium plan, and the Ultimate plan, which is considered to be the most advanced form of background and criminal record check for potential tenants.
Depending on your tenant screening needs, E- Renter reports can often be generated online in a few minutes by searching various databases across the country.
E-Renter is the perfect platform for property managers who only need occasional tenant screening services. There’s no sign-up fee, no minimum orders, and most importantly, no monthly fee.
More Information:
For more information on E-Renter and its tenant screening services, visit https://www.e-renter.com/.
Our Review:
E-Renter was founded in 2003 and has quickly grown into one of the most comprehensive criminal background check services on the market.
Created by two rental property owners, E-Renter services offer basic and advanced background checks that are specifically tailored for property managers.
E-Renter proudly invests in highly trained employees that are more than FCRA compliant; they are, in fact, FCRA certified and bonded, so you can rest assured that your tenant screening services are in the hands of experts.
E-Renter is compliant with state and federal regulations and has access to both local and nationwide databases. Contrary to other services we shared in this article, E-Renter offers extensive criminal background searches in the entry-level package, making it more accessible to property managers with smaller portfolios.
E-Renter reports are generated automatically and are accessible online through an easy-to-use portal, so there’s no waiting or downtime. E-Renter’s excellent customer service team is available via online form, email, or by phone Monday through Saturday.
Here are some of the different background checks E-Renter can provide:
- Social security number verification
- Address history
- Criminal record check offered in the Basic pricing package
- Nationwide evictions, judgments, liens, and bankruptcies
- Credit score verification
Tenant Reports
Pricing:
Contrary to other tenant screening services, Tenant Reports offers customizable, a-la-carte pricing, so you can customize exactly what types of reports you feel are appropriate for your property management company.
Each report is priced accordingly, and volume discounts are available if you use the Tenant Reports screening service often. Overall, Tenant Reports is based on a more as-needed pricing model rather than a comprehensive service.
This scalable pricing model is perfect for smaller property management companies that only need specific information on potential tenants.
More information:
For more information on Tenant Reports and their tenant screening services, visit https://www.tenantreports.com/.
Our Review:
With over 25 years in the tenant screening industry, Tenant Reports offers fast results with a full scope of reporting capabilities to meet your needs.
Tenant Reports offers four different ways to screen your potential tenant, which is an excellent advantage for property management companies of all sizes.
Tenant Reports provides an online portal so property managers can log in to process tenant screenings and view instant results.
From this online portal, you can email an application directly to your potential tenant for completion and collect an electronic signature.
Tenant Reports makes it easy for property managers by allowing you to add an ‘APPLY’ button to your website, so applicants can apply directly on your page and consent to further suitability screening.
All of these processes guarantee speedy results, so you can ensure that your business never has to slow down while waiting for tenant screening reports.
If your property management company requires a large volume of tenant screenings, Tenant Reports can make your life easier with their Fax-in and Fax-back service. This service allows you to fax applications of potential tenants directly to Tenant Reports and receive results faxed back with less than a 1-hour turnaround time.
Tenant Reports prides itself on having outstanding customer service in the tenant screening industry. Their website offers many resources, frequently asked questions, an online portal, and in-depth information about the types of services they offer.
Tenant Reports’ a-la-carte pricing model allows you to order exactly which reports you need without having to pay for unnecessary extras.
This unique style of pricing allows property managers to pick the type of tenant screening services they need, while still having the option to take advantage of Tenant Reports’ bundled product savings.
Here are some of the different background checks that Tenant Reports can provide:
- Social security number verification
- Tenant credit report and tenant scorecard
- County, state/multi-state, federal, and global criminal record checks
- Banking verifications
- Employment verification
- IRS tax return verification
- Motor vehicle records
- Previous landlord verification
- Address history
- Nationwide evictions, judgments, liens, and bankruptcies
Rentec Direct
Pricing:
Rentec Direct is a monthly membership tenant screening service for property managers.
The monthly fee is only $15 and is paid annually. As a member, you’ll receive one free premium screening package per month and wholesale pricing on all other tenant screening packages you order.
Once you’ve subscribed to the monthly package, wholesale pricing is $15 for each premium screening and report package. This premium package includes the most common credit, criminal, and eviction reports. Depending on the scale and scope of your company, this membership-based, wholesale pricing model might be the best fit for you.
In addition to their premium screening packages, Rentec Direct can provide income verification and bankruptcy, judgment, and liens records for an additional fee. The premium packages are also sold as individual products if you’re only looking for a specific report.
More Information:
For more information on Rentec Direct and their tenant screening services, visit https://www.rentecdirect.com/tenant-screening
Our Review:
Rentec Direct is one of the fastest-growing tenant screening services on the market today. They provide fast, reliable criminal and credit reports with a 100% money-back guarantee if you find any errors in the reports.
Rentec Direct’s premium tenant screening service package provides instant results with a nationwide criminal search, TransUnion credit report, nationwide eviction search, in addition to address and social security number verification. One of the things that set Rentec Direct apart is its ability to provide direct access to a tenant’s credit report so that property managers can instantly see a potential tenant’s full credit report and credit history. While there may be plenty of tenant screening services that can provide a preliminary credit report, Rentec Direct is one of the few providers to provide this type of in-depth record.
Rentec Direct offers both fast and reliable service with a promise that all reports in their packages can be delivered directly to you within 60 Seconds. Tenant consent and involvement are not necessary for Rentec Direct’s preliminary services, and property managers can choose to either pay for the report themselves or include record checking fees into the tenant application fee that they charge the potential tenant. Rentec Direct also offers scalable service packages. Rentec Direct offers different package pricing for property managers who are just starting out and managing less than six units and more seasoned property managers overseeing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of units.An added benefit of Rentec Direct is they also offer online rent payment services for your tenants.
Here are just some of the different types of background checks that Rentec Direct can provide:
- Social security number verification
- Nationwide criminal record checks
- Transunion credit report
- Previous landlord verification
- Address history
- Evictions record
- Nationwide judgments, liens, and bankruptcies **for an additional fee**
Tenant Cloud
Pricing:
Tenant Cloud is a comprehensive property management system that includes full scope tenant screening as part of its service offerings.
If you’re looking to bundle property management software that’s intuitive and easy to use with a comprehensive tenant screening service package, Tenant Cloud is right for you.
Tenant Cloud offers monthly package pricing based on the number of units you’re managing. This pricing seamlessly integrates with their property management operations software.
This makes it an excellent choice for property managers looking to make the switch from their current software or who want to integrate an operational-focused business management system.
Tenant Cloud offers three-tier pricing: the free Basic version, a $9 a month Standard version for property managers with up to 150 units, and an Advanced pricing package (which is the best value) for $35 a month for up to 500 units.
More Information:
For more information on Tenant Cloud and their tenant screening services, visit https://www.tenantcloud.com/pricing/tenant-screening
Our Review:
Tenant Cloud’s one of the few services that integrate into pre-existing property management software.
The Tenant Cloud screening service is entirely online and can be run right from an application on your computer. Property managers have the ability to pay for the tenant screening themselves or require tenants to pay with a simple, easy-to-use, direct email feature.
Tenant Cloud offers fast, reliable data from national criminal record checks and Transunion credit reports, so you can ensure you are getting the best tenant for your available unit. Tenant Cloud offers identity validation and the ability to request specific report formats as part of your comprehensive screening package.
Tenant Cloud’s system is easy to use and extremely intuitive so there’s no complicated process to worry about. Tenant Cloud’s tenant screening services can be easily integrated into your property management software, making it a streamlined approach to managing your potential tenants’ applications.
Here are just some of the different types of background checks that Tenant Cloud offers:
- Social security number verification
- Nationwide criminal record checks
- Transunion credit report
- Address history
- Evictions record
Conclusion: Top Tenant Screening Services
No matter the size of your portfolio, a tenant screening service can surely save you time and money down the road by avoiding problematic tenants.
The cost of property damage, non-payment, and evictions can run the risk of thousands of dollars, so an upfront investment in a tenant screening service can truly be invaluable. While no service is perfect, simply requiring applicants to go through a screening process can help you to weed out bad renters.
By implementing an effective tenant screening process, property managers can reduce the chance of eviction and troublesome tenant issues.
We hope this article was helpful in determining what tenant screening service is the best fit for your property management business. If you need help with marketing your property management business, contact Upkeep Media today!
