| My credit is bad because my wife ran up lots of | | | | rental application. |
| my credit cards before our divorce. | | | | 8. Obtain a copy of their Social Security card and |
| My credit is bad because I was in an automobile | | | | match it to the one on the rental application. |
| accident putting me in a coma for several months | | | | 9. Obtain your non-refundable fee for running their |
| and I did not pay my bills. | | | | credit check. |
| My credit is bad because I moved and I forgot to | | | | 10. Find a quality online credit checking service. |
| change my address. | | | | 11. Run a credit report from Experian, Equifax or |
| My credit is bad because they got my name | | | | TransUnion. |
| mixed up with someone else who is a thief. | | | | 12. Run a public records search to learn if they |
| Instead, why not say: "my credit is bad because I | | | | have ever been evicted. |
| never pay my bills". | | | | 13. Obtain a character reference from their |
| There are many horror stories about renting to | | | | former landlords. Ask their former landlord if they |
| the wrong people. It is critical to screen | | | | paid their rent on time. |
| prospective tenants. | | | | 14. Obtain a character reference from their |
| Decide which renter screening you prefer. | | | | employers. |
| Here are the 15 Renter or Tenant Background | | | | 15. Obtain employment verification and make sure |
| Screening Steps or Choose an Alternative Method | | | | it corresponds with info on their renter application. |
| Below. | | | | Do not rent to anyone who has ever been |
| 1. Obtain your potential tenant's full name along | | | | evicted. Do not believe their eviction Sob Story. |
| with their Social Security Number. | | | | It is easy to be taken in by professionals who |
| 2. Obtain their current address and the length of | | | | move from one rental property to another |
| time they have lived there. | | | | without paying their bills. Now there is protection |
| 3. Obtain the name and phone number of their | | | | sifting through the deadbeats to find your perfect |
| former landlord. | | | | tenant. Here is the Alternative Method from those |
| 4. Obtain the phone number of their current | | | | 15 Steps above: Clearly, you must agree it is the |
| employer. | | | | easiest and fastest solution. |
| 5. Obtain their income documentation. | | | | There is another Renter Screening Option you can |
| 6. Obtain in writing their consent to run a credit | | | | do. Fortunately, it is only one Easy Step!: |
| report and a background check. | | | | Choose a Renter background screening company |
| 7. Obtain their current driver's license. Make sure | | | | with is a great alternative to doing all that work |
| license address matches the address on their | | | | yourself. |