Evicting a tenant is an expensive task. According to the credit bureau TransUnion, the typical eviction costs landlords an average of $3,500. Performing due diligence is the best way to prevent evictions in the first place. A detailed tenant screening report will give you insight into each tenant’s background and rental history.
This information helps you choose tenants you can trust, who pay their rent on time throughout their lease. So, where do you start, and how can you interpret the information you receive from the tenant screening report? Let’s dive in.
What is a tenant screening report?
Tenant screening reports are background checks that landlords can use to gain information about prospective tenants. These reports typically include information such as:
- Credit scores
- Criminal history
- Eviction history
- Income insights
This information helps you make informed decisions about the tenants you work with. However, most tenant screening services provide basic overviews and leave information gaps, making it hard to distinguish between good tenants and bad tenants. Roughly 80% of landlords saw an increase in fraud and misrepresentation on tenant applications in 2024.
Baselane’s tenant screening reports help protect against fraud by providing more comprehensive information than other services in an easy-to-understand format in one streamlined location. You’ll gain access to reports and tenant insights such as:
- Detailed criminal histories sourced from national databases with access to more than 1.8 billion criminal records.
- Full credit reports outlining the tenant’s financial situation, not just their credit score.
- Income verification with sources checked against bank statements, W-2s, and other information, not just what the tenant claims.
- ID verification with a selfie check to compare government-issued IDs against 16,000 ID types to ensure that the tenant is who they say they are.
- Eviction history pulled from the largest housing record database, not just what the tenant reports on the application.
Even better, tenant screening reports are free for landlords, so they won’t add to your other rental property expenses.
How to check a tenant screening report
When you run a tenant report with Baselane, you’ll be able to track its progress and review details directly in the platform. The report will show their credit score and history, criminal and eviction records, and rental history, plus ID, income, and employment verification. You can use this information alongside the tenant’s application to decide if they’re a good fit for your property.
As you evaluate the report and review their rental application, here are some questions to keep in mind:
- How long have they been at their current address?
- How long have they been at their current job?
- How much is their monthly income?
Make sure the information on the screening report aligns with the information the tenant gave on their rental application. Consistency shows that the tenant is honest and more likely to be a responsible renter.
Tenant screening report breakdown
Baselane’s tenant screening reports give landlords and property managers a comprehensive overview of each prospective tenant. You can compare the results against your tenant screening checklist, helping you decide which tenants to work with and which to avoid leasing to. Here’s what you’ll find in your tenant screening report:
Rental application
Every landlord and property manager should check a tenant’s rental history to make sure they’re a responsible renter. Baselane’s rental application form will show the tenant’s personal information, including:
- Rental and residence history
- Current employer
- Income level
- Number of pets
- Number of vehicles
Some of this information will show up in the renters’ report, so you can verify the details provided by the tenant against what the background screening report provides.
ID verification
Make sure your tenants are who they say they are. Baselane’s screening reports provide you with ID verification that supports more than 16,000 ID types, including international IDs from 200+ countries. During the ID verification process, Baselane will check each tenant’s ID against their social security number, provided address, date of birth, phone number, and self-reported income.
The screening process also compares the tenant’s ID against a self-submitted selfie and analyzes the similarities to reduce your risk of fraud.
Income verification
Verifying tenants’ income helps ensure they can pay rent in full each month. With our renters’ reports, prospective tenants can securely verify their income by linking their bank, logging into their payroll provider, or uploading documents (pay stubs, bank statements, W2s) for fraud detection scanning.
The report shows you their income sources, payment amounts from each source, and the frequency of payments. You’ll also see the tenant’s debt-to-income ratio and forecasted monthly net income to assess their financial stability.
This helps you compare your tenant’s self-reported income against the income they actually earn each month.
Other screening platforms only allow tenants to upload their paystubs, which can easily be faked. Over 84% of landlords reported fraudulent income and employment documents in 2024. With Baselane, you can access a detailed tenant screening report that verifies your tenant’s information to help you catch fraudulent applications before signing a lease.
Credit report
Think of credit reports for tenant screening as a one-stop shop for insight into your tenant’s financial history and track record for timely payments. Many tenant screening reports only provide basic credit reports. Some may give an actual credit score, while others may only offer “pass” or “fail” options, making it hard to choose a tenant.
Our screening reports provide you with complete credit details that landlords should check on a credit report, not just your tenant’s credit score and payment history. We pull reports from Equifax, one of the three leading credit bureaus.
The tenant report will show the following information:
- The tenant’s address
- The tenant’s credit score
- The number of credit accounts
- The average age of the accounts
- The tenant’s employer information
- The types of debt the tenant has
- Bankruptcy history, if applicable
- Delinquencies on accounts, if applicable
- Fraud alerts
Take your time going through each tenant’s credit report. If you’re not sure how to interpret the results, check out our guide on how to read a credit report.
Eviction report
In the last 12 months, there have been nearly 1,040,000 evictions in the U.S., costing landlords thousands of dollars with each eviction. Renting to someone with previous evictions on their record can be risky. You’ll have access to a complete eviction history through the tenant screening report. We pull information from the largest U.S. housing court records database to ensure accuracy.
The eviction screening report will show where the eviction occurred, any settlements ordered by the court, the eviction filing date, and the case number for your reference, giving you a more complete rental history check for each tenant you screen.
Standard tenant screening reports typically show evictions that impact tenants’ credit reports or evictions noted during reference checks. Baselane’s more comprehensive eviction report can give you peace of mind knowing you’re renting to a reliable tenant.
Criminal report
Our resident screening reports will also give you insight into your tenants’ criminal histories. You’ll be able to check 1.8 billion criminal records from more than 2,500 jurisdictions, including the following:
- Traffic records
- Court and incarceration records
- Probation records
- Parole and/or release records
- Sex offender registries
It’s up to you to decide who you’re comfortable renting to, but having this information should give you confidence that you’re renting to trustworthy people.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to adhere to your state’s Fair Housing regulations when considering each tenant’s criminal record. For example, most states allow you to deny housing to individuals who have recent violent criminal histories. However, if the offense is old or nonviolent, you shouldn’t biased.
Tenant screening report tools: Why choose Baselane
Baselane simplifies the tenant screening process and provides complete applicant profiles in minutes. Our screenings dive deep into each tenant’s background and uncover potential risks like previous evictions, criminal charges, or high levels of debt that other screening methods might miss.
Baselane’s tenant screening reports are free for landlords and less expensive for tenants while still giving you more comprehensive information than other screening services provide.
Here’s why landlords trust Baselane for tenant screening:
- A full credit report, not just a “pass/fail” result
- Enhanced identity check with selfie verification, not just basic security questions
- Eviction history pulled from national databases, not just self-reported information or local records
- Detailed criminal background checks pulled from 1.8 billion criminal records across more than 2,500 jurisdictions.
- Verifies income with tenants’ bank account, payroll credentials, and other documents
Here’s a quick comparison of the top tenant screening services so you can choose the tool that works best for your needs.
| Baselane | TransUnion SmartMove | RentRedi | TurboTenant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free for landlords and $24.99-$49.99 for tenants | $25-$47 | Free for landlords (monthly subscriptions cost $12-$29.95) and $39.99-$49.99 for tenants | Free for landlords and $45-$55 for tenants |
| Rental application | Dedicated fields for income, housing history, dependents, pets, vehicles, smoking, and more | Not available | Custom applications | Custom applications |
| ID verification | Checks government-issued IDs against a selfie of the tenant and federal/state ID databases | Available on the Premium plan only | Not available | Not available |
| Income verification | Verifies income with tenants’ banks, payroll, and other verified documents | Available on the Premium plan only | Provides earnings and assets verification through Plaid | Checks income against TransUnion reports |
| Credit report | Full Equifax credit report showing credit history, credit score, delinquencies, and more | Credit report includes credit score, delinquencies, and potential fraud indicators | Access to TransUnion credit report | Access to TransUnion credit report |
| Eviction report | Detailed eviction reports with data from the largest U.S. database of housing records | Pulls information from one eviction database | Pulls information from a national database | Pulls information from a national database |
| Criminal report | Checks 1.8 billion criminal records across 2,500+ jurisdictions for court and incarceration, sex offender, probation, parole and/or release, and traffic records | Provides results from multiple states, excluding Delaware, Massachusetts, South Dakota, and Wyoming | Checks 370 million criminal records | Checks 300 million criminal records |
Get more accurate tenant screening reports with Baselane
The better you understand your tenants’ financial situations and backgrounds, the easier it is to choose tenants you can trust.
Surface-level tenant screening reports only give you part of the picture and put you at risk of choosing a tenant who isn’t fit for your rental. With Baselane’s tenant screening service, you’ll get a 360-degree tenant report to help you make informed decisions about who to lease to.
You can check credit scores, criminal records, finances, debt levels, and more for every tenant you’re considering — all with one report, delivered in minutes. With Baselane, you’ll also get access to an all-in-one platform to help you manage rent collection, lease agreements, security deposit accounts, income and expense tracking, and more.
Use our tenant screening service to fully vet each applicant so you can confidently hand over the keys.
FAQs
What does tenant screening look for?
Tenant screening looks for possible red flags in prospective tenants’ applications, like previous evictions, inconsistent payment histories, and income concerns. Keep in mind that some reports only look at credit scores and criminal history.
Baselane’s tenant screening reports will give you a more comprehensive understanding of a tenant’s suitability so you can make the best decision for your business. You can review their financial history, credit score, rental history, eviction history, criminal record, and more to help you choose the best tenants for your rental properties.
What background check do most landlords use?
Most landlords look at basic background information, including a tenant’s credit score, criminal history, and rental history. More comprehensive checks, like Baselane’s tenant screening report, can give you better insight into a tenant’s past and the likelihood of them being responsible renters.
You’ll gain insight into your tenant’s verified income, eviction history, credit score, rental history, and more. This can help you decide if each prospective tenant is worth leasing to. And with ID verification, you’ll know that each tenant is who they say they are, reducing your risk of fraud.
How far back do most tenant background checks go?
Most background checks go back between seven and ten years, depending on local laws. Here’s a quick overview:
- Criminal records: 7-10 years
- Evictions: 7 years
- Rental history: 7 years
- Credit report: Negative information stays on the report for 7-10 years
- Employment history: 7-10 years
Information dating back more than ten years may not be accessible to landlords through tenant screening reports.
However, you may be able to ask prospective tenants for additional information on their rental application if your state’s regulations allow it.
How long do tenant background searches take?
With Baselane, you’ll receive tenant screening results in as little as five minutes. Just send your tenant the link to the screening, let them fill it out, and get the results sent to your dashboard minutes after they complete it.
How do I get a tenant screening report?
With Baselane, you can get your tenant screening report online through our platform. Landlords can sign up for free and send a screening request to prospective tenants in just two minutes. You won’t have to partner with a third-party background check service or spend hours combing through self-reported documents your tenant gives you during the application process.
