Tenant Screening Companies

  • Tenant Screening Companies

Tenant Screening Companies

Learn Which Tenant Screening Companies Property Managers Use Most and What to Do If Your Rental Application Is Denied!
When completing a rental application, you'll likely undergo tenant screening. Discover the top companies property managers use and what to expect if they report errors. Learn about the screening process and how Consumer Attorneys can help if your rental application is denied.

Tenant screening agencies offer background information on individuals who would like to rent a property. Additionally, the tenant screening company helps landlords and property managers evaluate the creditworthiness of potential tenants by providing them with a rental screening report. During the screening process, the tenant screening agency will evaluate different aspects of an applicant’s background. Landlords will then review the results to ensure they are not renting to “at risk” tenants that will likely default on their rental payments.

Some of the information that will be accessed during rental checks include credit history, criminal history, eviction records, employment history, and rental records. Like background check companies, sometimes tenant screening companies make mistakes that are costly to consumers.

Some of our clients have dealt with losing out on rental opportunities because the tenant credit and background check companies that ran their reports made mistakes. When errors occur, you should contact a consumer lawyer for assistance disputing the errors and suing the screening companies when feasible. Continue reading to learn about the most common tenant screening companies.

Main Tenant Screening Agencies

As stated above, there are many tenant screening companies so determining which one your prospective landlord will utilize to check your rental history can be difficult. However, there are some top tenant screening companies that are preferred by property companies and landlords.

Here's a list of the most common tenant background check companies:

Some tenant screening companies are more common than others, but regardless of size and popularity, all tenant screening companies are capable of making mistakes. Many of our clients have suffered tremendously by losing out on rental opportunities because of errors contained in a tenant screening report. Don’t let the size of a company deter you from doing your due diligence and reviewing your tenant report in detail. If you find errors in your report, the FRCA gives you the right to dispute the errors along with other rights including the right to:

1. Request your tenant screening report

2. Receive a copy of your tenant report after asking for it

3. Know which information in the report was used against you

4. Dispute the accuracy of the information contained in the report

5. Have your disputes investigated within a reasonable amount of time

6. Receive written notice of the results of the investigation

Above are just some of your rights under the FCRA. If for some reason the screening company violates the law and does not respond to your requests in a timely manner, you have a legal right to file a lawsuit for the harm (damages) you’ve suffered as a result of both the errors contained in the report and the failure of the company to adhere to FCRA guidelines and procedures.

Information on Tenant Screening Companies

What is the best tenant screening company? Picking the best tenant screening companies is subjective and really at the discretion of landlords. There are many tenant screening companies available to landlords who wish to perform a background check on applicants. Along with the background check, your credit will be evaluated. The three main consumer reporting agencies (credit bureaus) landlords rely on are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. For more information, check out this list of credit reporting agencies.

Tenant screening companies and background check companies are similar, but there are some differences. Background reports are more comprehensive and usually include more details. Whereas, tenant screenings and tenant screening companies focus mainly on the aspects of a renter’s background that are important to property managers like rental history, criminal records, eviction records, etc.

There are hundreds of tenant screening companies that a property manager can choose from, but there are some front runners that are landlords’ “go to” companies for tenant screenings. Check those out below.

Who We Help

Unfortunately, when you have your credit and background checked before renting, there is no way to pick or choose the best tenant credit check agency and sometimes the agency that screens your background makes mistakes that cost you rental opportunities.

Our firm assists anyone who has been adversely affected by tenant credit check companies. That means if you have dealt with errors contained in tenant screening reports or any other illegal behavior that violates the FCRA, we can assist you.

Here’s some of what we help you with:

  • Notice. We ensure if you applied for housing that you are given appropriate notice when you are turned down
  • Advice. Advise you on what information can legally be disclosed during a tenant screening
  • Dispute errors. Our team will help you locate and dispute errors in your reports
  • File paperwork. We help you file dispute letters and request an investigation
  • FCRA experience. Our lawyers have extensive FCRA experience so we pinpoint errors and violations and determine the appropriate remedy
  • Draft documents. We file all paperwork with the tenant companies and courts for you
  • Representation. We represent you in court when necessary and negotiate with tenant companies for a sizable settlement.

Contact Consumer Attorneys

If you have questions or issues with a tenant screening report or rental housing application, you can contact us online via our LIVE chat feature - anytime! You can also call our office at 1-877-615-1725. Our background check lawyers are highly knowledgeable regarding the rules and regulations pertaining to both landlords and renters and will be able to provide you with invaluable assistance. If you prefer to chat with us via email, you can reach us at [email protected].

It’s important that when you choose a law firm, you choose to work with lawyers who actually care about their clients and have the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate on your behalf. We have helped thousands of clients recover millions of dollars. We assist you with all of your questions and concerns and get to work right away determining what the best course of action is for your particular situation.

You can expect to receive customized advice and not be treated like another “number.” Your situation is important to us and we will help you get justice for errors contained in tenant screening reports as well as lost opportunities.

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You, (“Client,” “you”), and Consumer Attorneys PLLC (“CA” or “we”), located at 72-47 139th street Flushing, NY 11367 (“CA”) , hereby enter into this limited scope retainer agreement whereby you agree to grant CA the exclusive authority to investigate your potential consumer law claim(s), including but not limited to potential violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”), Electronic Funds Transfer Act “EFTA”), Fair Credit Billing Act (“FCPA”), and/or the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA”) (collectively referenced as “consumer protection statutes”). 1Please read carefully before signing:

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You authorize CA to investigate your potential consumer law claim(s) under state and federal consumer protection statutes. You authorize CA to contact third parties on your behalf for the limited purpose of investigating your potential consumer law claims. “Third parties” include but are not limited to consumer reporting agencies, creditors, lenders, debt collectors, rental agencies, employers, courts, and law enforcement agencies.

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At any time between the date of this agreement and the expiration of CA’s Exclusive Investigative Period, CA may inform you of the outcome of its investigation. If CA’s investigation reveals that you have an actional consumer law claim, CA may ask you to sign a formal retainer agreement. If CA’s investigation does not reveal an actionable consumer law claim, you will receive an e-mail that states CA will not represent you in any further pursuit of your potential claim(s).

The relationship between you and CA automatically terminates at 5pm on the 180th day of the Exclusive Investigative Period or your receipt of CA’s written notice to decline representation, whichever comes sooner. At the conclusion of the Exclusive Investigative Period or upon receipt of CA’s written declination of representation, you are permitted to seek alternative legal counsel without penalty.

Nothing in this agreement should be construed as a promise or guarantee that CA will represent you in a consumer lawsuit at any point in time. CA reserves the right to decline to represent you for any reason permitted by relevant laws and ethical rules.

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You agree to meaningfully participate and cooperate in CA’s investigation of your potential consumer law claim(s). You agree to immediately inform CA if your mailing address, e-mail address, or phone number changes at any point during the Exclusive Investigative Period.
You agree to provide all relevant information, communications, documents, materials, and all other similar instruments to CA and its representatives during the Exclusive Investigative Period. You understand that your failure to provide all relevant information, communications, documents, and materials to CA during the Exclusive Investigative Period may hinder, delay or otherwise frustrate CA’s investigation of your potential consumer law claim(s).

You agree, under penalty of perjury, to provide complete, accurate, and truthful information to CA. All documents and communications, oral or written, past or future, provided to CA during the Exclusive Investigative Period and anytime thereafter are presumed by CA to be true, complete, and accurate.

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CA agrees that you will not incur any out-of-pocket fees or costs during CA’s Exclusive Investigative Period. However, if CA agrees to represent you in a consumer lawsuit, CA may recover the fees and costs incurred during the Exclusive Investigative Period from the Defendant pursuant to a future settlement or judgment.

You agree that CA has a right to place a lien on any future monetary recovery obtained by client related to the claims identified during CA’s Exclusive Investigative Period or as a result of CA’s investigative efforts. If you refuse to cooperate with CA in the formal pursuit of the consumer law claim(s) it identifies during or after the Exclusive Investigative Period, you agree that CA has the right to recover the fees and costs it incurred while investigating your potential consumer law claim(s).

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CA will send you any and all documents that require your signature. You authorize CA to affix your electronic signature to requests, disclosures, or other forms that CA deems reasonably necessary to the investigation of your potential consumer law claim(s) upon receipt of your approval or after the 7th day after the document was sent to you, whichever comes first. Your electronic signature will be used on any and all other subsequent documents that will need signature, affirmation, acknowledgment, or any other forms of authentication in reference to this matter under the above referenced procedure.

1You also agree to give CA the exclusive authority to investigate potential violations of state-specific consumer protection statutes.

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