How Does a Landlord Obtain a Credit Report?
When a landlord considers a prospective tenant's rental application, she often wants to know about the tenant's credit history. To do this, the landlord will need to obtain the tenant's credit report.
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Rental Application
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A landlord will need permission to check the credit of a prospective tenant. Rental applications usually include a section that gives this permission to the landlord.
Property Management Company
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If a landlord uses a property management company, the management company will run any necessary background checks, including a credit check.
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Tenant Screening Services
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Some landlords use tenant screening services to check a prospective tenant's credit reports and to perform other background investigations, including employment verification, criminal background and contacting former landlords.
Online Services
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A landlord can use Internet-based credit and background report services to check a prospective tenant's credit.
Tenant Rights
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If a landlord declines the application or gives a tenant less favorable terms (such as requiring an extra security deposit) because the tenant's bad credit, federal law requires that the tenant be notified by the landlord of this fact.
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References
- Photo Credit apartment for rent image by dead_account from Fotolia.com
