Understanding your rental history will help ensure a smoother experience with a potential landlord.
Before you get the keys to your new apartment or rental home, you can expect your new landlord to conduct a thorough screening process. Most property managers will want to ensure you’re a good tenant. They’re looking for someone who pays rent on time and respects the terms of the rental agreement. In most cases, your potential landlord will check your rental history after you’ve filled out an application form.
Here’s how they get your rental history report, what information appears in it and how you can prepare for this important step in advance.
What is a rental history?
Landlords and property managers won’t just rely on your word when it comes to your status as a good tenant. They’ll use specialized reports about your history. Landlords want to get a clear picture of your rental record to decide whether you get the apartment.
Some key details that will appear include:
- The addresses of all previous properties you rented
- Contact information for the landlords or property managers you rented from
- How long you lived in each rental
- How much rent you paid
- Any problems, such as late rent payments, damage to the unit, broken leases, neighbor complaints or an eviction notice
- Any recommendations from past landlords or property managers
Why do landlords check your rental history?
Apartment managers and landlords evaluate you as a potential renter because they want to see your past record shows you’re trustworthy, financially stable and reliable. They’re looking to confirm whether you would be a good tenant or that you might be a problematic one.
Your rental history report will then be packaged with your rental application form. The landlord can then verify your credit score, employment, income, references and conduct a background check. Once all these documents are in hand, the property manager can check everything and decide whether to rent the apartment to you.
How do landlords check your rental history?
Sometimes, landlords ask potential tenants about their rental history and include your answers in the application form. But most of the time, they’ll want to verify the information themselves. To confirm your rent payment history, landlords usually request a rental history report from a private consumer reporting agency that collects information from various sources, such as credit reporting agencies. This report might also include information, such as outstanding rent balances from previous properties, bounced checks or any criminal record.
You’ll probably need to give consent to the landlord or property manager to run a background check. That means signing a tenant information release form for a potential landlord to review your rental history.
How can I check my rental history for free?
You can check your rental history report for free directly from a reporting agency once every 12 months, thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can ask the property manager which rental report service they intend to use. You’re entitled to get a report from the company, as well.
It’s a good idea to do this because you’ll have a chance to check if there are any errors in your file and get them corrected. If incorrect information, such as wrong addresses, dates, rent amounts or previous landlord names shows up on your report, that could raise suspicions and you might be turned down for an apartment.
If you find a mistake, you can ask the reporting company in writing to fix it. When reading your report, always keep your landlord’s perspective in mind. For example, if you have a gap in payment history because you moved in with family for a brief time, mention that upfront. This way your landlord won’t wonder about that information when seeing it on your rental history.
What if you have negative marks on your rental history?
If you already know of potential red flags in your rental history, you can speak to the landlord before submitting your application. Perhaps you were in between jobs at the time but now have steady employment. Maybe you reimbursed your previous landlord but he or she didn’t update that information in the report.
If that’s the case, consider reaching out to your old landlord and asking them to fix the situation by updating the information to the rental report service. Landlords will appreciate your honesty rather than reading about these types of incidents in your report.
What if don’t have a rental history?
For first-time renters, landlords will use other ways to evaluate your potential as a tenant. Instead of requesting a rental history report, they’ll likely run a credit report. They’ll also call your personal references and ask for proof of income, such as pay stubs or tax returns. In some cases, especially if they feel your income isn’t high enough to cover the rent, they could insist on a co-signer for the lease who can guarantee you’ll pay every month.
Do all landlords check my rental history?
Most landlords will request this data since they’re taking the risk of renting to you. It’s best to cooperate and remain straightforward throughout the application process, so the property manager sees no reason to disqualify you.
Don’t rent without knowing what’s on your rental history
It’s important that you learn about your own rental history to avoid any surprises, help you address any potential issues in advance and ensure your information is always up to date. In the end, this is the best way to ensure you’ll be getting those apartment keys.
Source: rent.com