How to Check Your Rental History

Apartment Complex

Usually a prospective landlord checks your rental history. But perhaps you want to see what that landlord will find out. You certainly have the right to check your rental history.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen or pencil
• Phone book
• Computer
• Telephone

Instructions

1. Write down a list of the places you have lived in the past 10 years. If you can't remember, obtain a free credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com. If your report is correct, it should have a history of your addresses. If you have moved a lot, go back only five years.

2. Look up the phone numbers for the places you have lived or call directory information or look on the Internet for the number. Write down the phone numbers.

3. Call your old landlords, identify yourself and ask for your rental history for that property.

4. Contact some of the bigger agencies that keep track of rental histories and ask for your free report on your rental history. You are entitled by law to one free report each year. Some agencies to contact are First Advantage Safe Rent, TenantCheckUSA.com and landlordportal.com.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have moved frequently, paid your rent late, or been evicted, landlords are not going to view your rental history favorably.

References

• Free Reports

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• AnnualCreditReport.com
• First Advantage Safe Rent