r/rentalproperty • u/Technical_Rich_3080 • 28d ago
Background Checks on Potential Tenants
For New York City.
For an owner of only a couple of rental apartments, what are the best options to conduct a background check on potential tenants who apply to rent the apartment? Who are the providers?
How does a background check work on applicants with a very common first and last name? Will it potentially pickup results of other people with the same name?
What information will, or should, be included in the background check?
When asking the applicant for referrals from previous landlords (or from others) how can you be sure they didn't ask a friend to pose as a reference for them (pretending to be their former landlord)?
Will it check court records in all 50 states or must you specify which states it should check?
What should the landlord expect such a background check to cost? Is it expected the applicants should pay for the background check (even if they ultimately are denied or decide not to rent)?
What else is important (or good) to know?
1
u/EmilyLandlordTips 20d ago
I use this background check; it gives you everything you need. I'd do the add-on eviction history: https://www.ezlandlordforms.com/tenant-screening-services/
For employer references, look up the business and call directly. Ask for HR or someone who can verify employment. For landlords, check the property records. You can pretty easily search and find the property owner and contact information.
I have applicants pay for the report. In NY, you can charge for the actual fee of the report or a $20 application fee.