RentGrow by Yardi Systems Background Check

If you are in the market for a rental property but were denied due to a RentGrow tenant screening report, then you know how frustrating and difficult the RentGrow background check process can be. Being effectively shut out of the rental market is made exponentially worse when your denial is not based on reality but on Rentgrow’s mistakes!

If you’ve been victimized by data errors, we can help. Whether you need to file a RentGrow dispute, a lawsuit, or both, we know how to navigate this legal landscape with precision. As a nationwide law firm with a top-tier team of consumer protection attorneys, we have seen, heard, and handled it all in the world of consumer data gone wrong, including errors in RentGrow tenant screening reports. Keep reading to gain an understanding of the RentGrow company, the issues that arise, and your legal rights, then call us today. We’ll guide you to the best possible solution.

About RentGrow Company

What is RentGrow? In the tech-driven real estate industry, RentGrow is a company that provides comprehensive tenant screening reports to property managers and landlords. These RentGrow tenant screeners are essentially background checks that include various categories of information.

In the tech-driven consumer data industry, RentGrow, Inc. is known as a consumer reporting agency (CRA) because it produces and sells consumer reports (RentGrow screening reports). As a CRA, RentGrow is regulated by federal and state legislation meant to protect consumers, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This is important because it directly impacts your rights in a RentGrow dispute.

Keep in mind that when you are “RentGrow denied,” the decision is actually being made by the property manager or landlord. A RentGrow application denial results from the parameters established by RentGrow’s client (the property manager or landlord), not by the company itself. So, though the RentGrow algorithms do make a determination about your level of credit risk, the evaluation of your data is set by the client’s parameters, which are extremely customizable.

How Does RentGrow Conduct Background Checks?

RentGrow conducts background checks by (1) receiving your consent for screening and personal identifying information (such as name, birthdate, and social security number) from the property manager or landlord, (2) using algorithms to gather data related to various categories of information (see below for more details), and (3) filtering the information through a process meant to eliminate irrelevant, wrongful, or unreportable data, and (4) generating a report.

Where does RentGrow get their information? Each RentGrow report, sometimes mistakenly written as “Rent Grow report,” is prepared using information provided by you to your prospective property manager or landlord when you fill out a rental application. The data included in the report, such as the RentGrow credit report, Rentgrow credit score, RentGrow criminal history data, and RentGrow rental history data, is all gathered from other sources, including companies like the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) and various rental-related subsidiaries these companies operate.

If you have a Rentgrow credit inquiry on your credit check report, this is because it is an inquiry made with the intention of you entering a lease. So, this type of inquiry is reportable. For anyone wondering how to remove RentGrow from your credit report, you can’t remove legitimate inquiries. However, if you did not authorize a RentGrow inquiry, then you can dispute this error and seek correction.

How Long Does a Background Check from RentGrow Take?

How long does RentGrow screening take? While some RentGrow resident screenings can take mere hours, most take one to three days, and some take significantly longer. Factors that increase the length of time needed to compile a report can include such things as an extensive or complicated applicant history, a very common name, or slowdowns at data sources when clarification is sought (such as a high volume wait time for relevant county records). You may also have come across the idea of a RentGrow instant denial. There is no “instantaneous” element to a tenant screening check, though some searches can generate faster returns than others.

What Information Does RentGrow Provide in Their Background Checks?

What does RentGrow look for? This question is top of mind for most prospective renters prior to submitting an application. What exactly will RentGrow be looking for, and what will get reported to the property manager or landlord? The categories of information reported are customized by the client (the property manager or landlord).

Possibilities include:

1. RentGrow credit report (using data provided by a credit bureau). This includes credit score and credit history.
2. Rental and eviction history, including prior rental properties in your name, payment history, and any available eviction data.
3. Criminal history.
4. Employment and income verification.
5. Social Services verification.
6. Civil and municipal records.

RentGrow Criminal Background Checks

The criminal background check category of information in a RentGrow tenant screening report can include things like national, state, and county criminal database searches, sex offender registry, and OFAC (Office of Foreign Asset Control) list.

RentGrow Background Checks for Rental Property

All RentGrow background check reports are tenant screening reports prepared for clients who own or manage rental properties. So, despite the fact that sometimes aspects of these reports are discussed as though they are distinct things (such as RentGrow credit inquiry, RentGrow eviction report, etc.), this information is actually all just part of a single report.

What Are Your Rights Regarding Your Background Check?

This is the most important information you can learn on the topic of RentGrow background checks and data reporting errors. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) you have several key rights that will play a prominent role in helping you recover from RentGrow reporting mistakes.

1. Consent. If your property manager or landlord wants to run a RentGrow background check during the applicant screening process, you have the right to be informed and to authorize the search.
2. Accuracy. You have the right to have only accurate information included in your report. Under the FCRA, this is the legal standard that all CRAs are accountable to.
3. Review. You have the right to review any consumer report run on you, including a tenant background screening.
4. Informed Rejection. If you suffer a RentGrow application denial, you have a right to know exactly which information in the report was relied on to deny you the rental opportunity.

5. Free Credit Review. Once weekly, you have the right to review your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus without any out-of-pocket cost. If you contest the data in your RentGrow credit denial, we recommend requesting and reviewing all three credit reports to help determine the extent of the errors.

   There are three ways to request a copy: online at annualcreditreport.com, by phone at 877-322-8228, or by mailing a request form, which can be printed at annualcreditreport.com. Online requests should only be made through the above government-verified site.

6. Dispute. You have a right to file a RentGrow dispute. If there is inaccurate, misleading, or false information in your RentGrow credit check or any other portion of your RentGrow screening, you always have the right to dispute it and seek error correction.
7. File a lawsuit. If you suffer a RentGrow denial and discover that reporting mistakes are the cause of your denial, you should contact background check lawyers for a consultation. For some types of errors, you’ll need to file a dispute before pursuing a lawsuit. For others, the mere reporting of false information is enough to support a lawsuit. One of our lawyers at Consumer Attorneys can help sift through the facts of your specific situation in light of the applicable state law where you live to guide you in which steps to take next.
8. Covered legal fees. Under the FCRA, you have the right to sue RentGrow for harm caused by reporting errors without incurring any out-of-pocket costs. Yep! The FCRA makes RentGrow pay for your legal fees and costs if you win.

Which Companies Use RentGrow for Background Checks?

RentGrow is used by property management companies of all sizes, including small, local entities that manage only one or two properties. So, while putting together a helpful list of companies that use RentGrow is not really possible, it is good to understand that many landlords and property managers in your area may use the RentGrow platform.

What do Companies Use RentGrow Background Checks For?

Landlords and property managers use RentGrow as a tenant screening tool. It is highly customizable, allowing them to build a background report that meets the specific needs of their company, rental property, or unit.

Can Errors Occur in Background Checks from RentGrow?

Yes. Though most reports are accurate, a certain percentage are not. If you research RentGrow reviews, you will come across complaints about errors that had an adverse impact on people’s rental prospects and financial and emotional lives.

In our consumer protection practice at Consumer Attorneys, we have helped clients salvage their financial and rental prospects after RentGrow errors caused them meaningful harm.

What Causes Errors in Background Checks?

Errors in background checks can be caused by a number of different scenarios, including data entry errors, mixed credit files (information from two different people is co-mingled), identity theft, and systems that fail to update with current information.

Main Types of Errors

These errors might look like any of the following:

• Transposition of digits in a Social Security Number
• Wrong or incomplete information in original documents
• Incorrect criminal records
• Outdated information (e.g., expunged convictions that were not updated)
• Mistaken identity resulting in criminal records being associated with the wrong person
• Information from Identity theft and fraud scenarios that are reported as accurate
• Information from someone else in your report (including criminal, credit, financial, employment, housing, etc.).

How Often Do Errors Occur in Background Checks from RentGrow

Research estimates that up to one-third of people discover errors in a consumer report at some point during their lifetime, and the reports prepared by RentGrow are no exception.

What Are The Consequences of Having Errors in Your Background Check Report?

There are two types of consequences that result from errors in RentGrow tenant screening reports: (1) Immediate harm: types of reports are frequently determinative, meaning that property managers and landlords will base rental application decisions on the information included in the report. (2) long-term harm: mistakes in a RentGrow report can also result in longer-term difficulty securing housing. This is particularly so with companies the size and scope of RentGrow. For instance, if you apply to any other properties for which the property manager or landlord uses RentGrow screening services, the bad report will haunt you. This can snowball into housing insecurity, depending on your financial or living circumstances.

You Can Contact RentGrow if You Need to Correct an Error in the Background Report

Under the FCRA, RentGrow must provide a mechanism for you to dispute errors in your tenant screening report. Whether or not you need to file a dispute is determined by the facts of your particular situation, including the type of reporting error and the fallout from it. We advise speaking to a consumer protection lawyer, such as having a free consultation with one of our attorneys, to decide what the best plan is based on your situation and your needs.

If you do file a dispute with RentGrow, we note that they only provide an online dispute platform, not a mailing address. We generally advise against using online dispute platforms because the use of them may require that you waive certain rights. If you are concerned, contact us to discuss your best options.

What To Do if You Do Not Receive Answers to Your Questions on the Background Report

If you’ve read any online RentGrow dispute reviews, then you’re already aware that just because you’ve filed a dispute doesn’t mean that things are moving along quickly and seamlessly. There are complaints that a RentGrow dispute takes forever and inquiries about how to check on your RentGrow dispute status or RentGrow dispute time.

Based on your rights under the FCRA, RentGrow has thirty days to investigate and respond to your dispute. If the time frame runs any longer than this, we recommend that you contact an attorney. Now you have two legal violations to discuss!

You Can Sue RentGrow if Your Report Contains Errors

One of the key legal rights that you have is the ability to sue RentGrow for tenant screening reporting errors and related failings, such as shoddy, inadequate, or untimely investigations and corrections. Whether you have to file a dispute before filing a lawsuit depends on the facts of your situation.

Reach out to Consumer Attorneys for a free consultation with one of our lawyers, and we’ll help you make the best decisions to protect your rights and your financial and emotional health through the process of getting everything back to good.

It’s also worth knowing that the FCRA requires RentGrow to pay for your legal fees and costs when you sue them and win.

Who Can You Contact to Solve the Problem With an Error in the Background Report from RentGrow

You can contact Consumer Attorneys. With over seventy-five years of combined practice experience, we can help you navigate even the most complicated scenarios and help you find resolution on the other end.

Assistance in Disputing RentGrow Background Report

Error correction and compensation are two things that everyone in this situation is striving for, and we know how to optimize the possibility of both outcomes. So if your rental prospects turned into error detection, look to us for assistance.

Lawsuits Against RentGrow

We have helped thousands of clients recover from reporting mistakes, including those fighting back against RentGrow and trying to salvage their rental prospects and secure housing. As you’ll read in our case highlight, below, even people who have a criminal incident in their past can still wrongfully fall victim to egregious reporting errors.

Case Highlight - Unreportable Facts and Wrongful Reporting

After being told that her current apartment was being rented to another tenant, our client was under pressure to find a new one. She applied to two apartments but was turned down for both, learning that her RentGrow tenant screening report misreported a prior criminal incident in multiple ways: (1) the incident was unreportable in the first instance, and simply reporting it was an error and violation of her rights, (2) the charge was misreported as significantly more severe than it was, (3) the class of offense, a misdemeanor, was reported as a felony, and (4) the status was misreported as pending when it was already removed from the public record.

Our client felt upset and hopeless, uncertain of what to do or whether she could even do anything. After a consultation, we helped her see that she had rights and that there was a path to recovery. She trusted us, and we got her the settlement she deserved.

Conclusion

With seventy-five years of combined experience, the team of consumer protection lawyers at Consumer Attorneys is here to guide, advise, and litigate on your behalf. And with a nationwide practice, we’re always right where you need us to be.

Call or reach out today! There are several ways to reach us: call (+1 877-615-1725), email ([email protected]), fill out the online intake form, or use our virtual chat option.

We look forward to helping you!