What Is Screening Report?
A screening report is the output of tenant screening. It pulls together three main components: a credit score and credit report, a criminal history check, and eviction history. Many reports also include employment verification and income verification. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires written consent before you run the report and an adverse action notice if you reject based on it. Cost typically runs $25–$55 per applicant; the applicant often pays. Services like TransUnion SmartMove, RentPrep, and Avail generate these reports. Use them as part of a consistent, documented screening process—not in isolation.
A screening report is a compiled document that combines credit history, criminal background, and eviction records—and sometimes employment and income verification—into a single file for evaluating a tenant applicant.
At a Glance
- What it is: A compiled report combining credit, criminal, eviction, and sometimes employment/income data.
- Why it matters: Single source for evaluating applicant risk; FCRA-compliant when used correctly.
- Typical cost: $25–$55 per applicant; often paid by the applicant.
- Key rule: Written consent before running; adverse action notice if you reject.
How It Works
The three core components. Every screening report should include: (1) credit report and score—payment history, debt load, collections; (2) criminal background—felonies, misdemeanors, sex offender registry; (3) eviction history—court filings and judgments. Each tells a different story. Credit shows financial responsibility. Criminal shows safety risk. Eviction shows prior landlord-tenant disputes. Together they give you a fuller picture than any one check alone.
Additional checks. Many services add employment verification (confirm job and salary with HR) and income verification (pay stubs, tax returns). Some include landlord verification. The more you verify, the more confident you can be—but the process takes longer and may cost more.
FCRA requirements. The Fair Credit Reporting Act governs how you use screening reports. You must get written consent from the applicant before running the report. If you reject, deny, or take adverse action based on the report, you must send an adverse action notice that includes: the name and contact of the reporting agency, a statement that the agency didn't make the decision, and the applicant's right to dispute and get a free copy of the report. Skipping this can lead to FCRA penalties.
Who pays. Most landlords charge the applicant an application fee that covers the screening cost—typically $25–$55. Some jurisdictions cap application fees. Check local rules. You can't charge more than the actual cost of the report.
Real-World Example
Jenna: Evaluating a 680 credit score and clean record in Indianapolis.
Jenna screens an applicant for a $1,200/month duplex in Indianapolis. The screening report shows: credit score 680, no delinquencies in the past 2 years, one paid collection from 2021 (medical, $400); criminal history check clean; eviction history clean. Income verification shows $3,800/month—above her 3x rent threshold. The landlord reference is positive. Jenna's policy: "Credit 600+; no evictions in past 5 years; no violent convictions; individualized assessment for other criminal history." The applicant passes. She documents the decision and approval. Six months later, the tenant pays on time and has no issues. The report gave her the data; her consistent policy gave her a defensible process.
Pros & Cons
- Single report pulls credit, criminal, and eviction into one place.
- FCRA-compliant services handle consent and adverse action notices.
- Applicant often pays the fee—reduces your cost.
- Consistent, documented process protects you from fair housing claims.
- Reports can have errors—wrong person, outdated data, expunged records.
- Cost may deter some applicants; balance screening rigor with affordability.
- Over-reliance on the report without landlord reference or income verification can miss red flags.
- Must apply criteria uniformly to avoid discrimination claims.
Watch Out
- FCRA risk: Get written consent before running. Send adverse action notice if you reject. Include the report source and dispute rights. Document everything.
- Accuracy risk: "Possible match" or partial data may be wrong. Verify before rejecting. Applicants can dispute errors through the reporting agency.
- Consistency risk: Apply the same criteria to every applicant. Don't make exceptions based on how the applicant "seems" or protected class.
- Over-reliance risk: The report doesn't replace a landlord reference or thorough income verification. Use all tools together.
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The Takeaway
A screening report is the backbone of tenant screening. It compiles credit, criminal, and eviction data—and often employment and income—into one place. Use an FCRA-compliant service. Get written consent. Send adverse action notices when you reject. Apply your criteria uniformly. And remember: the report is one input. Combine it with landlord references and income verification for a complete picture. One bad tenant can cost $5,000–$10,000; a good screening process pays for itself many times over.