Frequently Asked Questions


	How is YouCheckCredit different than traditional credit reporting agencies? 1. We provide our clients with an immediate tenant screening report in less than 10 seconds via the Internet. Whereas, traditional credit reporting agencies typically provide credit reports only, and in some cases extremely limited criminal record search coverage, YouCheckCredit allows you to obtain an objective and very comprehensive record indicating the applicant's rental behavior as a resident of your community. 2. In addition to providing an immediate screening response, we also provide a consistent credit recommendation (Accept, Accept with additional deposit, Accept with a co-signor or decline) based on the criteria that the owner/manager sets for their property. This reduces the likelihood of costly Fair Housing Complaints. 3. YouCheckCredit automatically prints records for your files and any letters required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. 4. Tenant Screening Reports can be run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Whereas traditional credit agencies are open during more "normal" business hours (no more waiting until Monday).


	What equipment do I need to get started? Virtually any computer that has access to the Internet will work.


	How do I get started? Click here or click the "Register" tab at the top of the page - OR - call us toll-free at (866) 666-8833 to immediately establish your account.


	Are there a minimum number of tenant screening reports that need to be performed each month? There are no minimum transaction requirements or monthly services fees ever!


	Is your website secure? Security is our top priority. All information exchanged with our site is encrypted using the same methods as online banking, 128-bit SSL encryption, which ensures that your information can not be read by others.


	Do I have to send over the approval from my prospective tenants every time I run a credit report? No, you do not need to send over the applicant's signature. However, you are obligated to retain the prospect's permission to run their background report for 3 years, and from time to time, we will ask to see it. We periodically perform audits on this.


	I work out of my house. Does that matter? Many of our clients work out of home offices. That's no problem.


	Will I get a detailed credit report? Will it show everything? Yes, we have detailed credit reports that will show everything, e.g. Credit Score, credit accounts, credit history, inquiries, bankrupticies, liens and judgments.


	Can I do reports for people out of the country? Our system works only with applicants with a USA address.


	Can I run reports for people that don't have a social security number? Yes, you can run credit reports without having a person's social security number, but you will need to have a good address on the applicant, preferably their current address and their previous address.


	Can I run a report using a Tax Id number? Tax IDs are usually connected with businesses, and our credit reports are for individuals. However, many of our clients will run a credit report on the person that is in charge of the business.


	Do I need permission to run a Credit Report? Yes, you need permission to run someone's credit report, and it must be in writing.


	Can I run Credit Reports for reasons other than tenant screenings? YouCheckCredit is set up for Tenant Screening only.


	Can I run a Credit Report on myself or on a friend? YouCheckCredit is not set up for you to run your own credit report or your friend's or family's. If you want to run your own credit report, there are many websites that specialize in this.


	What information do I need from my prospective tenant to run a report? The more information you use the better chance you have of getting the correct result. We do not need all the information you might think we would need. To run an applicant's credit report, you will minimally need their name and current address (assuming they were there longer than six months). Additional information that is helpful, though not required, is previous address, date of birth, and Social Security Number.


	Whom should I screen? Screen EVERYONE over the age of 18 and screen consistently. If parents with children rent your unit and the child will turn 18 within the lease period, be sure to get an application on that child also. If you ever need to evict or collect from those tenants, it will be much easier and safer to have as many adults as possible named on the action.


	How do I know employment and landlord references are real businesses? Verify employment and landlord information through "Yellow Page" information in addition to calling the number supplied to you by the prospective resident. You would be surprised at how many "friends" verify employment and rental history.


	How do I know the prospective tenant has the ability to pay the rent? Request a copy of the most recent pay-stub to verify income. Also, you may choose to verify the bank account balances by calling the bank and asking if a check in the amount of the rent will clear the bank. Some managers will verify TWICE the amount, just to see if the tenant actually has "working capital" in the account.


	How do I know that this person is who they say they are? Verify the applicant's identification with a photo ID. Make copies of the Social Security Card and the Driver's License for your files.


	What should I do if I decide not to rent to the applicant? Decline your prospective tenant's application to rent properly. Be sure to provide the applicant(s) with an "Adverse Action" letter for any action other than an approval on standard terms (i.e. an additional deposit, cosignor, or declined application). Know your local, state and federal laws regarding the use of consumer reports. In some states (i.e. CA), if requested, you must show the applicant a copy of their credit report, whether they are denied credit or not and must also provide a copy of the credit report to the applicant. The exception to this rule would be if you didn't charge the tenant a screening fee. If you decline to rent to an applicant, he or she is entitled to a free credit report and should be referred to your screening vendor for proper handling.

Online Tenant Screening & Background Check

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Frequently Asked Questions