With 84% of landlords citing nonpayment and possible evictions as their top concerns, the last thing you want is to get stuck with a tenant who consistently pays rent late (or not at all). While credit reports and background checks are commonly used in the tenant screening process, rental history reports help bridge the gap between financial activity and how the tenant will be as a renter.
In this article, we’ll explain what a rental history report is, why it’s important, and provide instructions for how to do a rental history check for landlords and tenants.
Key takeaways:
- Rental history checks provide insights into a tenant’s past behavior, including payment history, lease adherence, and eviction records.
- A rental history report typically includes past addresses, rent amounts, tenancy duration, and landlord references.
- Landlords can evaluate tenants without rental history using alternative references, income verification, co-signers, or credit checks.
- To check rental history, request authorization, collect applications and previous rental information, review leasing details, pre-screen tenants, and contact references.
- Baselane’s tenant screening combines rental history with credit checks, income verification, and background checks for a more comprehensive applicant profile.
What is a rental history report?
serves as a snapshot of their rental behavior, including payment history, lease adherence, and interactions with landlords.
You can find these reports in online databases such as the American Apartment Owners Association and the Landlord Credit Bureau (costs $1.99 to $55) or use an online tenant screening tool like Baselane (free for landlords). These tools consolidate information from multiple sources, including background and credit checks, for a comprehensive report to vet prospective tenants.
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What does rental history show?
Rental history details can vary depending on the report but usually includes:
- Past rental addresses: A record of where the tenant has lived.
- Duration of tenancy: How long the tenant stayed at each property.
- Monthly rent amount: How much they paid in rent.
- Landlord contact information: Details to verify references.
- Eviction history: Documentation of any prior evictions (sometimes this is a separate report)
This information gives you an idea of what each applicant is like as a renter. Even though landlord insurance covers the loss of rental income, property damage, and liability costs, a rental history report can protect you from a risky tenant before they even step foot in the building.
Why is rental history important?
A rental history check reveals how likely a tenant is to break a lease or skip rent payments. These details can help you avoid dealing with bad tenants or ending up evicting squatters. Here’s how:
- Reduces financial risks: Rental history provides a clear picture of previous rent payments. Identifying frequent late payments or unpaid rent can help you avoid future issues.
- Identifies problematic tenants: Evictions, short stays, or conflicts with previous landlords can signal potential issues, helping you screen out high-risk tenants.
- Saves time and money: Evictions have an average price tag of $3,500 to $10,000. Screening applicants upfront can protect your investment and help you find good tenants who pay rent on time.
It might be worth listing a rental check as an application requirement in your rental property advertisement. That way, you can weed out any applicants who don’t want to disclose their rental history information. Those willing to provide this information upfront will help improve your chances of finding a qualified tenant for your rental property.
Here are some tips on how to find the best website to list a rental property.
How to check tenant rental history as a landlord
Checking rental history is quick, easy, and free with Baselane. Follow this step-by-step guide to review tenant information, verify details, and ask the right follow-up questions.
1. Request a rental application
To get started, sign up for a free Baselane account and send a screening request to tenants via email (it takes 2 minutes) to collect the following details:
- Rental application: This should include the tenant’s full name, Social Security Number (SSN), date of birth, current address, and contact details. Additional information can include pets, vehicles, and emergency contacts.
- Proof of identity: Scan of driver’s license or other government-issued ID (supports 16,000+ ID types and 200 countries) and selfie photo.
- Applicant’s authorization: A signed consent form allowing you to run a rental history and reference check. Baselane lets tenants securely provide authorization online for FRCA-compliant screenings.
Baselane’s online tenant screening report also includes a credit check with the option to bundle a criminal background check, eviction report, and income verification for a complete picture of prospective tenants.
2. Collect previous rental history
Gather details about the tenant’s rental history from the past two years. This should include:
- Addresses of previous rental properties.
- Monthly rent amount.
- Reason for moving.
- Contact information for former landlords or property managers.
- Dates of tenancy at each location.
3. Review leasing details
Look closely at the leasing history report for:
- Rent amounts paid: Check if the tenant’s rent payments are similar to yours.
- Lease duration: See if they usually have long-term leases or shorter stays.
- Reason for leaving current residence: Job-related relocations and affordable housing remain the top motivators for moving.
4. Pre-screen tenants
Once you’ve received the tenant’s rental history report, follow up with specific questions to clarify the details provided, including:
- Can you explain any gaps or short stays in your rental history?
- Where are you currently living, and why are you moving?
- How long have you been living at your current address?
- What is your current rent, and have you ever missed payments?
- Have you ever broken a lease or been evicted? If so, why?
Here’s a complete list of tenant screening questions to ask potential renters. Use the tenant’s answers to confirm the accuracy of the rental history report and identify any discrepancies that may need further investigation.
5. Contact previous landlords
Reach out to previous landlords to verify information in the report and ask about the tenant’s past rental behavior, payment history, and whether they followed lease terms.
Here’s what to ask:
- Did the tenant pay rent on time?
- Were there any lease violations?
- Would you rent to this tenant again?
- Were there any complaints from neighbors?
- Did they leave the property in good condition?
Make sure you’re actually talking to landlords — some tenants may give you fake references. Use online listings, a reverse phone number lookup, or local property tax records to confirm contact details.
Check out our step-by-step guide on how to perform background and rental history checks.
How to check rental history as a tenant
Here’s a simple guide for how to look up your rental history as a tenant:
1. Request reports from tenant screening agencies
Several agencies collect rental history data landlords use for tenant screening. You can find your rental history report through these services:
- TransUnion SmartMove: Credit and eviction history reports.
- Experian RentBureau: Credit and rental payment history from credit bureaus.
- CoreLogic SafeRent: Previous rental addresses, payments, and evictions.
- Tenant Data: Credit history and rental payments.
These services usually charge a fee between $20 and $50, based on how detailed the report is.
2. Get a free annual credit report
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you’re entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.
Credit reports may include rental history details, such as previous addresses, rent payments, evictions, and unpaid rent in collections. Ask your landlord which reporting company they use so you can request the report and ensure everything is correct. Contact the agency to dispute any mistakes and notify potential landlords of the issues being corrected.
3. Contact previous landlords
If you have a good relationship with former landlords, you can ask them for references or additional documentation to support your application:
- A verification of rent form to confirm your payment history.
- A reference letter detailing your behavior as a tenant.
- Documentation of any disputes and how they were resolved.
These details supplement formal reports, providing a clearer picture of rental reliability.
What if a tenant doesn’t have previous rental history?
Not every tenant will have a rental history, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be a reliable renter.
Common reasons for no rental history
- First-time renters: Young adults or recent graduates moving out for the first time may not have a rental history.
- Living with family: Tenants who previously lived with family members may not have formal lease agreements to show.
- Homeowners turning to rent: Individuals who owned their homes and are now renting might lack a rental history but can provide proof of mortgage payments.
- Relocation: Tenants moving from another country or region may not have accessible rental records.
What landlords can do
- Request alternative references: Ask for references from employers and check their phone and utility payment history to see if they pay their bills on time.
- Verify income and employment: Request recent pay stubs, tax returns, or an employment verification letter to ensure they can afford rent. For senior renters, verify income sources like Social Security, pensions, or savings.
- Require a co-signer: Adding a financially stable co-signer on the lease agreement can provide extra security.
- Run a credit check: Without a rental history, a credit report can help highlight financial responsibility and reveal red flags like late payments or high debt (find out what landlords look for in a credit check).
- Consider a higher deposit: If you’re legally allowed, a larger security deposit can mitigate risk when renting to tenants without any rental history.
3 tips for landlords checking rental history
1. Be thorough
Don’t rush through the process. Carefully analyze all details of the rental history report.
Checking a rental history report is relatively straightforward, but you must read it thoroughly. If you just skim the information, you might miss some important details that could influence your decision to move forward with the applicant.
You will want to examine a rental history report for:
- Dates of residency: If a tenant moves frequently or before the end of a lease, the odds are you will only have rental income for one year before turning the property over for a new tenant. Average turnover costs are around $4,000 per resident, according to recent reports.
- Rent amount: Seeing what a tenant has previously paid in rent will let you know if they can afford your unit or not.
- Payment history: Missing one or two payments can be a mistake, but patterns of overdue rent may indicate financial issues that will impact your rental property cash flow.
Ask tenants about any gaps in their rental history or payments. A tenant may have had a medical issue that prevented them from working or paying rent for a period of time.
2. Consider additional screening reports
Rental history on its own isn’t enough information to approve an application. Combine this information with other screening reports from Baselane for a complete tenant profile to help reduce risks of late payments and evictions. These additional reports include:
- Eviction report: Eviction details from the largest database of U.S. housing court records, including the court and filing date, judgment amount, case number, plaintiff, and notice type.
- Credit report: Includes credit scores, credit accounts and balances, payment history, debt details, bankruptcies and collections, credit inquiries, and fraud indicators.
- Income and employment verification: Bank-verified income sources and net earnings, pay frequency, monthly gross income, and debt-to-income ratio.
- Criminal background check: Searches 1.8 billion national and local criminal records across 2,500+ jurisdictions, including court and incarceration, sex offender, probation, parole and/or release, and traffic records.
Keep in mind, not all screening services are created equal. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows tenants to sue landlords for rejecting applications with incorrect information. It’s important to invest in a reputable screening platform like Baselane for accurate and FCRA-compliant reports. Easily request rental history, conduct a credit check on a tenant, and get background and eviction reports in minutes all in one user-friendly report for free.
3. Verify key details
Compare rental history with the tenant’s application and other reports to verify their information and spot any discrepancies or red flags. Here’s how:
- Identity checks: Make sure the photo and self-reported information are the same as their government-issued ID to avoid fraud and ensure you’re screening the right person.
- Eviction records: If the applicant has any previous evictions, this generally implies a major breach of a lease agreement. For example, evictions in New York are only reported if the tenant is found at fault in a legal eviction case.
- Credit history: Check if addresses match their self-reported housing history and look for financial issues like late payments, outstanding debt, high credit usage, collections, and bankruptcies.
- Income insights: Compare verified and self-reported income to confirm it’s accurate and enough to cover rent (income should be 3x monthly rent) and monthly debt payments (ideally under 35% of income).
- Employment history: Review income sources alongside the employer details provided and contact references to confirm the tenant has a stable job (use tax returns and bank statements for self-employed tenants).
- Background checks: Identify recent criminal activity, pending cases, or outstanding warrants, which may indicate unresolved issues and potential risks.
Certain states have strict rules for how to handle applicants with criminal records. In New York, state laws restrict the use of certain criminal records in housing decisions, such as sealed or expunged records. Always check local regulations regarding tenant screening and follow Fair Housing Laws to ensure you’re not discriminating based on race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics.
Request a free rental history report from Baselane
Simply put, rental history can make or break a tenant’s chance of renting an apartment, but it’s not the only report that matters. You need additional income and financial insights to fairly assess an applicant.
Instead of piecing together separate reports from multiple sources, Baselane provides comprehensive tenant screening reports with everything you need to find reliable renters. Instantly receive complete rental history and applications, credit and background checks, eviction history, plus income, employment, and ID verification — 100% free for landlords.
Ready to find your next great tenant? Get started for free today!
FAQs
Should I interview my tenant after receiving the rental check report?
The prospective renter must sign a release form before running a rental check report. Once you receive the report, compare it to the application and look for inconsistencies. Then, ask the tenant to explain the discrepancies before speaking with their former landlords to verify the information and ask about any issues with payments, neighbors, or damages.
Is a rental check better than references from past landlords?
Rental history reports will give you hard data about a potential tenant, but you still need to verify that the information is accurate. If you skip the report and rely on references, they may give false information to get rid of a bad tenant that you can’t cross-check with data. Pairing a rental check with references is the best way to thoroughly screen potential tenants.
What is the difference between a rental history check and a credit check?
A rental check provides information about a tenant’s previous rental addresses, landlord contact information, and occupancy dates. A credit check is used to assess a tenant’s financial behavior based on their credit score, payment history, credit usage, credit history, and delinquent accounts.
How do landlords check rental history?
Landlords typically check a tenant’s rental history as part of the screening process to assess their reliability and suitability as a renter. Here’s how landlords can check rental history:
- Contacting previous landlords: The most common method involves reaching out to former landlords listed on the tenant’s rental application. This helps verify details such as payment consistency, property maintenance, and adherence to lease terms.
- Reviewing credit reports: Credit reports often include rental-related information, such as missed payments or collections resulting from unpaid rent. Tenants must provide a credit report application for landlords to run a credit check.
- Public records search: Court records can reveal evictions or disputes related to rental agreements. Landlords often check these records to confirm the tenant’s history.
- Tenant screening services: Many landlords use tenant screening services that include rental history reports. Depending on the service, these reports can include a record of past addresses, rental payment history, lease terms, and evictions.
With Baselane tenant screening, you’ll get all-in-one credit and background checks, rental history and applications, eviction history, income and employment verification, and advanced ID checks.
What do landlords use to check rental history?
Landlords rely on a combination of tools and resources to check rental history:
- Rental applications: Tenants typically provide their past addresses and landlord contact details on the application form.
- Credit bureaus: Some credit bureaus, like Equifax, provide rental history as part of their credit report.
- Public records: Landlords may search local court records to identify any eviction filings or legal disputes involving the tenant.
- Reference checks: Speaking directly with previous landlords remains a valuable way to verify a tenant’s behavior.
- Tenant screening platforms: Tools like Baselane tenant screening combine data from multiple sources into one comprehensive report that includes rental and eviction history, credit and background checks, plus income and identity verification.
Can a landlord check your rental history?
Yes, landlords can see your rental history report, but only with written consent. Most rental applications include a clause where tenants authorize the landlord to conduct background checks, which can include rental history. Here’s what happens during this process:
- Consent requirement: Landlords must obtain permission to access sensitive information like rental and credit history. Without this consent, landlords cannot legally check these details.
- Extent of information: Once permission is granted, landlords can access past addresses, landlord references, and records of evictions or disputes.
Limitations: While landlords can check your rental history, they must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and anti-discrimination laws. They cannot use your rental history as a pretext for discrimination based on race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics.
How does a landlord verify rental history?
Landlords verify rental history using several methods:
- Contacting former landlords: The most direct method involves calling previous landlords to confirm tenancy dates, rent payment consistency, and adherence to lease terms.
- Requesting written references: Some landlords ask for a written reference letter from former landlords detailing the tenant’s behavior and reliability.
- Tenant screening reports: Comprehensive screening services, like Baselane, provide verified data about a tenant’s rental history, including eviction records and payment patterns.
- Cross-referencing addresses: Landlords may match the addresses provided in the rental application with those listed on credit reports or public records to ensure accuracy.
Does eviction show up on rental history?
Yes, evictions can show up on rental history reports. Here’s how evictions are documented and accessed:
- Public records: Evictions are legal proceedings and are recorded in court records. Landlords can search these records or use tenant screening services to request eviction history.
- Credit reports: If an eviction leads to unpaid rent or collections, it may also appear on the tenant’s credit report. Does eviction affect credit for tenants? Any delinquencies or court judgments can negatively impact tenant credit scores.
- Tenant screening reports: These reports often include eviction data, detailing the case, judgment, and outcomes.
Does being late on rent affect rental history?
Yes, consistent late rent payments can negatively affect a tenant’s rental history. Here’s how:
- Landlord records: Many landlords keep detailed records of rent payments (Baselane’s online rent collection does this automatically). Tenants with frequent late payments may receive poor references when applying for future rentals.
- Credit reports: If late payments result in collections or legal action, they may also appear on a tenant’s credit history.
How does rental history work?
Rental history works by compiling information from a tenant’s previous rental experiences. Here’s how:
- Data collection: Information is gathered from rental applications, landlord references, and public records.
- Screening reports: Tenant screening services compile this data into a report, often including eviction history, rental payments, and lease details.
- Decision-making: Landlords use this report to evaluate whether a tenant meets their rental criteria, such as financial stability and adherence to lease terms.
A solid rental history improves a tenant’s chances of securing housing, while poor history makes it harder. For example, a tenant who pays rent on time and follows lease terms is more likely to have their rental applicant approved than a tenant with a record of late payments and lease violations.
Is rental history public record?
Certain aspects of rental history, such as evictions, are public records. Here’s what is and isn’t publicly accessible:
- Publicly accessible: Eviction records, court filings, and some landlord-tenant disputes.
- Not publicly accessible: Rent payment history and specific lease details are typically private and accessible only through self-reported information during tenant screening or landlord references.
Tenants should be aware that negative public records, such as evictions, can impact their ability to secure housing.
How do landlords report rental history?
Landlords can report rental history to tenant screening services or credit bureaus. Here’s how:
- Reporting to screening services: Landlords can share payment records and tenant behavior with companies that generate rental history reports.
- Reporting to credit bureaus: If a tenant’s unpaid rent is sent to collections, it can appear on their credit report.
- Third-party tools: Some rent collection apps (like Baselane) allow landlords to report on-time rental payment data directly to credit bureaus, creating a documented history for the tenant.
What is rental history?
Rental history is a record of a tenant’s past behavior as a renter. It typically includes:
- Past addresses: A list of previous rental properties and their respective landlords.
- Payment history: Information on the rent amount and sometimes details on whether rent was paid on time, late, or missed entirely.
- Lease compliance: Records of any lease violations, such as unauthorized occupants or property damage (sometimes in a separate credit report).
- Evictions: Documentation of any evictions or legal disputes with landlords (sometimes in a separate eviction report).
This history provides landlords with insights into a tenant’s reliability and helps assess potential risks.
What is a rental report?
A rental report (also called a rental history report) provides a detailed record of a tenant’s rental history, including:
- Past addresses
- Monthly rent payment amount
- Lease duration
- References from previous landlords
- Eviction history (can be a separate report)
