How to get a credit report for a potential renter ?
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Bill R wants to know:
I am thinking of renting my second home. I like to get a credit report for the potential renter. How do I go about doing it ?
I am thinking of renting my second home. I like to get a credit report for the potential renter. How do I go about doing it ?
Tagged with: Credit Report • Renter
Filed under: True Credit
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Get their WRITTEN permission to pull their credit report.
Include in your application, questions asking for their legal name, addresses for the last 3 years, 3 years of employment history and SSN. Ask if they have ever filed bankruptcy. Where do they bank?
References are always a good question … both personal and prior landlords.
Check the yellow book for “Credit Reporting Agencies” in your area. Ask them their fees and costs of the reports. My sister has enough turnover, she just joined the credit bureau in a small town near her. For just the one property, it may be just as easy to see if you can get the report without joining the agency.
Adding myself to Jef’s excellent answer:
You can charge the prospective renter for the cost of running the credit check. But you need to make sure that you are charging them exactly what it will cost you.
When they fill out the form have them turn in their paperwork along with a check for the fee.
Be aware that you are handling sensitive information and make sure that their info. isn’t accidently laying around where other people could get ahold of the paperwork… be responsible and keep it under lock and key.
The best way is to ask a real estate agent that deals in rentals to run it for you. Most belong to the credit bureaus. If you do it on your own, the fees usually runs between $50 to $75 for each report. Better to be safe than sorry later.
I used to have the tenant get the report and bring it to me. But i got fooled twice by people who brought me a family member’s credit.
Try and . They have instructions for you at the site..
when i rented a place a couple of years ago the owner made me provide my own credit report. you can always require potential renters to provide a recent credit report.
This site also provide some tips about this -
Best regards.