Screening Tenants — overview
Everything you need to know about finding the right tenant and why screening is the most important step you'll take as a landlord.
Choosing who lives in your property is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a landlord. A great tenant pays on time, treats your property well, and makes the whole experience rewarding. A poor fit can lead to missed payments, property damage, and a lot of unnecessary stress. Screening is how you tell the difference and RentSpree makes it straightforward.
What is tenant screening?
Tenant screening is the process of reviewing a potential tenant's background before deciding whether to rent to them. Through RentSpree, you can request a comprehensive package that gives you a full picture of who you're considering:
- Credit report — See their credit score and payment history to understand how reliably they pay their bills.
- Background check — Review criminal history so you can make an informed decision about who you're inviting into your home.
- Eviction history — Find out if they've been formally evicted from a previous rental.
- Rental application — Get their employment details, income, rental history, and references all in one place.
Look beyond the credit score. It's the most visible number, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Someone with a lower score who has a solid rental history and stable employment may be a better tenant than someone with a high score and a pattern of short stays or landlord disputes. Use the full picture — not just one number — to make your decision.
Who pays for screening?
In most cases, the applicant covers the screening fee, not you. When you send a screening request through RentSpree, the applicant is prompted to complete their application and pay the fee directly. You receive the full report at no charge.
Screening fees and policies can vary. How to create a screening request has the details on exactly what your applicant will be asked to pay.
Fair housing — a quick note
As a landlord, you're required by law to follow fair housing guidelines when evaluating applicants. This means your screening criteria must be consistent and applied equally to everyone; you cannot make decisions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. Some states and cities have additional protected classes beyond the federal standard.
Apply the same criteria to every applicant. Inconsistent screening — approving one applicant while denying another with similar qualifications — can expose you to fair housing complaints. Decide on your minimum requirements (income threshold, rental history, etc.) before you start screening, and stick to them for everyone.
What's in this section
The articles below walk you through every step of the screening process:
- How to create a screening request— How to send a screening request to any applicant in minutes.
- How to accept or deny an applicant — How to make your decision and notify your applicant professionally.