Best Tenant Screening Companies For Landlords

In the world of property rental, finding reliable and trustworthy tenants is essential for landlords to ensure a smooth and successful rental experience.

Tenant screening services play a crucial role in helping landlords make informed decisions by providing comprehensive background checks on prospective tenants.

The rental market continues to evolve, and so do the tenant screening services available to landlords.

In this blog post, we will explore the best tenant screening companies, equipping landlords with the knowledge they need to select the most effective screening service for their rental properties.

What Are Tenant Screening Services?

Tenant screening services are professional services designed to help landlords assess the suitability and reliability of prospective tenants. These services gather and analyze tenant information to provide landlords with a comprehensive overview of their background and history.

Tenant screening services aim to minimize risks associated with renting properties by identifying potential red flags and enabling landlords to make informed decisions.

 

Background Checks Included In Tenant Screening Services

Typically, tenant screening services offer a wide range of background checks and verification processes. Some of the best tenant background checks that include in the services are:

• Credit Checks: It is one of the best background checks for landlords. Tenant screening services obtain credit reports that provide insights into a tenant’s financial history, including their credit score, payment history, outstanding debts, and any past bankruptcies or liens.

• Criminal Background Checks: These checks examine a tenant’s criminal record at local, state, and national levels. Landlords can determine whether prospective tenants have a history of illegal activity, such as convictions for fraud, violence, or drug offenses.

• Eviction History: Tenant screening services search for records of previous evictions, unlawful detainers, or eviction-related lawsuits. This information reveals if a tenant has a history of breaching lease agreements or causing issues with earlier landlords.

• Employment and Income Verification: Services may verify a tenant’s employment status, income level, and stability to evaluate their ability to afford the rent. This information gives landlords insights into tenants’ financial capacity to meet their rental obligations.

• Rental References: Tenant screening services may contact previous landlords or property managers to gather information about a tenant’s rental history. This includes feedback on their behavior, timeliness of rent payments, and adherence to lease terms.

Best Tenant Screening Companies

There are tons of tenant screening services out there. Still, in terms of key factors like the accuracy of the information, background checks, and user-friendly platform, below are the top tenant screening companies:

1) RentPrep
2) E-Renter
3) Leaserunner
4) RentSpree
5) Buildium
6) SmartMove

 

1. RentPrep

RentPrep is a highly reputable tenant screening service that has gained recognition for its offerings and exceptional customer satisfaction.

With a starting price of $21.00, RentPrep provides landlords with an array of valuable features that contribute to informed tenant selection.

One of RentPrep’s standout features is its full credit report with a credit score. This credit check allows landlords to assess a tenant’s financial responsibility and history of timely payments.

RentPrep also provides a nationwide eviction report, which is an essential component of tenant screening.

Moreover, RentPrep’s strong presence in the landlord community is worth noting. With over 10,000 landlords in their Facebook community, RentPrep offers a platform for landlords to connect, share experiences, and seek advice.

2. E-Renter

Founded in 2003, E-Renter has established itself as a trusted tenant screening service in the industry. As an FCRA-certified and bonded company, E-Renter ensures compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, providing landlords with reliable and legally compliant tenant screening services.

One of the key advantages of E-Renter is its 24/7 online direct access to consumer and business credit files. This feature allows landlords to access credit reports and evaluate a tenant’s financial history at their convenience, enabling efficient and timely decision-making.

E-Renter offers three different packages to cater to varying landlord needs:

• The Basic package, starting at $21.95, provides essential screening services, including credit checks and criminal background searches.

• The Ultimate package, priced at $36.95, offers additional features such as eviction history and sex offender registry searches.

• For those seeking a balance between the Basic and Ultimate packages, the Premium package, priced at $31.95, offers a comprehensive screening solution.

 

3. LeaseRunner

LeaseRunner is a top-tier tenant screening service company that offers a range of features tailored to meet the needs of small landlords, agents, and property managers.

With a user-friendly interface and mobile-optimized online rental application process, LeaseRunner provides the convenience and efficiency that applicants expect in today’s digital age.

LeaseRunner’s pricing structure is transparent and affordable, making it an ideal choice for landlords of all sizes. For a fee of $22, landlords can receive a complete credit report that includes public records, providing valuable insights into an applicant’s financial history.

Additionally, for $16, landlords can access a thorough criminal history report to assess the potential risks associated with a prospective tenant.

LeaseRunner offers a three-month overview for just $10 to further evaluate an applicant’s financial health. This feature enables landlords to better understand an applicant’s financial stability and payment patterns.

In addition, for $13, landlords can perform a nationwide eviction search, identifying any previous instances of eviction that may impact a tenant’s reliability.

LeaseRunner also offers a bundled document service for $39, allowing landlords to streamline the leasing process by combining multiple documents into one batch and easily sending them for e-signature.

4. RentSpree

RentSpree is a leading tenant screening services company that offers accurate and user-friendly screening solutions.

RentSpree’s tenant screening services include a TransUnion credit report, rental history report, and tenant background check.

One notable advantage of RentSpree is that it offers its screening services for free to property representatives. This allows property managers and real estate agents to easily access and utilize RentSpree’s screening tools without incurring any additional costs.

For applicants, RentSpree offers screening services starting at $38.

5. Buildium

Founded in 2004 by Sapient alums Dimitris Georgakopoulos and Michael Monteiro, Buildium has emerged as a top-tier tenant screening services company.

Buildium’s tenant screening services are provided through its partnership with TransUnion. By leveraging TransUnion’s data and expertise, Buildium ensures accurate and up-to-date tenant screening reports.

Buildium also offers the flexibility to set custom credit score requirements for each property. This feature empowers landlords to establish specific criteria based on their property’s unique needs. Ensuring they find tenants who meet their desired credit score standards.

Buildium’s pricing plans cater to the diverse needs of landlords. The Essential plan, starting at $52 per month, offers a solid foundation of features, including tenant screening.

The Growth plan, starting at $166 per month, includes both Tenant Screening and Enhanced Tenant Screening, providing landlords with screening tools.

For those seeking additional support, the Premium plan, starting at $479 per month, offers features like Ticket Support, Live Phone Support, and Priority Support.

6. SmartMove

SmartMove is undeniably one of the top tenant screening service companies, and its success can be attributed to several key factors. One of the standout features of SmartMove is its utilization of ResidentScore. This enables them to predict rental eviction risk 15% better than traditional credit scores.

In addition to credit checks, SmartMove offers a Tenant Criminal Report that draws from over 370 million criminal records sourced from state and national databases.

SmartMove’s Tenant Eviction Report is another factor that sets it apart. With access to one of the largest eviction databases subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which contains over 16 million eviction records. SmartMove equips landlords with crucial data to evaluate an applicant’s eviction history.

With more than 410 companies, over 7.3 million landlords, and over 10.3 million tenants relying on its services. SmartMove has established itself as a trusted and preferred tenant screening solution.

SmartMove offers a range of screening packages tailored to meet the diverse needs of landlords. The SmartCheck Basic package, priced at $24.99 per screening, includes the Credit-Based ResidentScore as well as a National Criminal Background Report.

The SmartCheck Plus package is available for more comprehensive screening at $39.99 per screening. In addition to the features of the Basic package, it includes a Full Credit Report and National Eviction Related Report.

For landlords requiring even more in-depth information, the SmartCheck Premium package is $42.99 per screening. Along with all the Plus package features, it includes Income Insights.

FAQs

How Much Does Tenant Screening Cost?

The cost of tenant screening can vary depending on the service provider and the specific screening package chosen. Generally, tenant screening services offer different pricing tiers or packages that cater to various landlord needs and budgets.

Does Tenant Screening Affect Credit Score?

No, tenant screening does not directly affect an applicant’s credit score. Tenant screening involves accessing an applicant’s credit report to evaluate their creditworthiness, rental history, and other relevant factors. However, this is considered a soft inquiry, which does not impact the applicant’s credit score.

How Long Does an Eviction Stay on a Tenant Screening Report?

An eviction typically stays on a tenant screening report for seven years.

Takeaway

Selecting the right tenant for your property is crucial for a hassle-free renting experience, the best tenant screening services will play a vital role in this process.

The top tenant screening companies offer background checks, credit evaluations, and rental history verification, ensuring you make an informed decision while minimizing risks.

Whether a property owner or a property manager, investing in the best tenant screening services will undoubtedly contribute to a more secure and successful rental venture and beyond.