You applied for an apartment and the landlord says your background check, rental history or tenant-screening report caused a problem. Maybe your application was denied, you were asked for a larger security deposit, or the landlord suddenly required a cosigner.
Your first question should be: What report did the landlord actually use?
Do not assume it was simply your Experian, Equifax or TransUnion credit report. Landlords and property managers can use specialized tenant-screening companies that combine credit information with rental history, eviction records, identity verification, income or employment information, criminal records and other screening data.
If the landlord took an unfavorable action because of information in a consumer report, federal law generally requires an adverse action notice identifying the company that supplied the report. You can then request a free copy from that company if you act within the applicable 60-day period.
- Quick Answer
- What Is a Tenant-Screening Report?
- How Do I Get the Actual Report the Landlord Used?
- Start With the Adverse Action Notice
- What the Notice Should Tell You
- Adverse Action Does Not Mean Only a Denial
- Your Right to a Free Copy
- Why the 60-Day Deadline Matters
- Can You Ask the Landlord for Their Copy?
- Does the Landlord Have to Give You Its Copy?
- How to Identify the Screening Company
- What if the Landlord Used More Than One Company?
- Was It Just a Credit Report?
- What Can Be in a Tenant-Screening Report?
- Eviction Information
- Rental History
- Credit Information
- Criminal Records
- Identity Information
- Income and Employment Verification
- Tenant Scores and Recommendations
- How to Request the Report
- Identity Verification
- What if the Landlord Will Not Tell You the Company?
- What if You Never Received a Written Notice?
- What if the Report Is Wrong?
- Common Tenant-Screening Errors
- How to Dispute a Tenant-Screening Error
- Eviction Was Dismissed but Still Appears
- Record Belongs to Someone Else
- Error Came From a Credit Bureau
- Can You Ask the Landlord to Reconsider?
- Before Your Next Rental Application
- Step-by-Step Plan
- Mistakes to Avoid
- Related Charge Decoded Guides
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Official Resources
- Bottom Line
Quick Answer
If a landlord denied you, required a cosigner, charged a higher rent or required a larger deposit because of information in a tenant-screening report, look for the adverse action notice.
It generally should identify the consumer reporting company that supplied the report and provide its name, address and phone number.
You can then contact that company and request a free copy of your report within 60 days of the adverse action.
You can also ask the landlord or property manager to give you a copy of the report they received.
However, do not rely solely on the landlord agreeing to share its copy. Your federal right after adverse action is generally to obtain a free report directly from the consumer reporting company.
What Is a Tenant-Screening Report?
A tenant-screening report is a consumer report used by landlords, apartment complexes and property managers to evaluate rental applicants.
It may also be called a:
- Tenant background check
- Rental background report
- Resident screening report
- Rental screening report
- Resident verification report
The report can contain much more than your traditional credit history.
Depending on the company and screening package, it may include:
- Credit information
- Rental history
- Eviction records
- Previous addresses
- Identity verification
- Employment information
- Income verification
- Criminal-record information
- Landlord references
- A tenant risk score or recommendation
A clean credit report does not necessarily mean your tenant-screening report is clean. The rental report may contain information that does not appear on Equifax, Experian or TransUnion.
How Do I Get the Actual Report the Landlord Used?
Use this process:
- Find the landlord's adverse action notice.
- Identify the tenant-screening company named in it.
- Contact that company directly.
- Tell the company you are requesting your consumer report after rental adverse action.
- Make the request within 60 days.
- Complete the company's identity-verification requirements.
- Save the report when you receive it.
The company named in the adverse action notice is more important than guessing which screening service the landlord normally uses.
Start With the Adverse Action Notice
If information in a tenant-screening report contributed to an unfavorable rental decision, the Fair Credit Reporting Act generally requires the landlord to provide an adverse action notice.
The notice can be:
- Written
- Electronic
- Oral
A written or electronic notice is easier to preserve, so if a landlord gives the information orally, ask for it in writing for your records.
What the Notice Should Tell You
The adverse action notice generally should include:
- The name of the consumer reporting company
- The company's address
- The company's phone number
- A statement explaining that the reporting company did not make the landlord's decision
- Your right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information
- Your right to request a free report from the reporting company within 60 days
The screening company supplies information. The landlord or property manager makes the rental decision.
That distinction matters because the screening company may be able to correct an inaccurate record, but it generally cannot explain the landlord's independent rental criteria.
Adverse Action Does Not Mean Only a Rental Denial
Many renters assume an adverse action notice is required only when the landlord completely denies the application.
That is not correct.
An unfavorable action based on the report can also include:
- Requiring a cosigner
- Requiring a larger security deposit
- Requiring a deposit that other applicants would not have to pay
- Charging higher rent
- Other less favorable rental terms
If the landlord says, “We can approve you, but you need two months of extra deposit because of the screening report,” that can still be adverse action.
Your Right to a Free Copy of the Report
When adverse action is based in whole or in part on a tenant-screening report, you generally have the right to get a free copy of the report from the company that supplied it.
You do not need to buy:
- A credit-monitoring subscription
- A paid background check
- A rental-history service
- A credit-score package
Request the report directly from the company named in the notice.
Why the 60-Day Deadline Matters
The special free-report right tied to the adverse action generally requires you to request the report within:
60 days after the adverse action notice
Do not wait until you begin applying for another apartment several months later.
Save:
- The denial email or letter
- The adverse action notice
- The date you received it
- The rental property name
- The application number
- The screening-company information
Can You Ask the Landlord for the Report They Used?
Yes.
The CFPB specifically recommends asking the landlord whether they are willing to share a copy of the tenant-screening report they used.
You can say:
Hello. I understand that information from a tenant-screening or background report affected my rental application.
Could you please provide me with a copy of the report you reviewed, including any score or recommendation supplied by the screening company?
If you cannot provide the report directly, please send me the name, address and phone number of every consumer reporting company used to evaluate my application.
Thank you.
Does the Landlord Have to Give You Its Copy?
Do not confuse two different things.
The landlord generally must provide the required adverse action information when a consumer report contributed to the unfavorable decision.
But your principal federal FCRA right to obtain the report is generally against the consumer reporting company that created or supplied it.
The CFPB recommends asking the landlord for its copy, but also directs consumers to request the free report from the screening company.
If the landlord refuses to email you its copy, do not stop there. Use the company information from the adverse action notice and request the report directly.
How to Identify the Tenant-Screening Company
Look for wording in your rental denial or adverse action notice such as:
- Consumer reporting agency
- Consumer reporting company
- Tenant screening company
- Resident screening provider
- Background check company
- Credit reporting agency
The company may be a tenant-screening specialist you have never heard of.
The CFPB maintains a list of consumer reporting companies that includes companies specializing in tenant screening.
Do not assume the screening company was TransUnion simply because a TransUnion credit report appeared somewhere inside the screening package. A separate tenant-screening company may have assembled and delivered the complete report to the landlord.
What if the Landlord Used More Than One Company?
A landlord may obtain information from more than one source.
For example, the screening package could involve:
- A tenant-screening company
- A nationwide credit bureau
- An income-verification provider
- A criminal-record database
- A rental-history source
If multiple consumer reporting companies contributed to adverse action, ask the landlord to identify every company involved.
You may need to request more than one report to understand the decision completely.
Was It Just a Credit Report?
Sometimes a landlord uses a traditional credit report from:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
But many rental-screening products contain additional information.
That means checking only your traditional credit reports may miss the problem.
For example:
- Your credit could be excellent.
- Your credit report could contain no collections.
- But a tenant-screening report could incorrectly show an eviction belonging to someone with a similar name.
Always identify the exact report the landlord used before assuming your credit report caused the problem.
What Can Be in a Tenant-Screening Report?
The exact contents vary by screening company and landlord.
| Report section | Possible information |
|---|---|
| Credit | Accounts, collections, payment history and credit-related data |
| Rental history | Previous landlords, addresses and rental-payment information |
| Evictions | Housing-court filings and dispositions |
| Identity | Name, addresses and identity-verification information |
| Employment | Employment or income verification |
| Criminal | Criminal-record information where legally permitted |
| Screening score | Risk score, recommendation or landlord-selected screening result |
Eviction Information
Eviction information is one of the most important sections to review carefully.
Look for:
- An eviction that does not belong to you
- A dismissed case reported without the dismissal
- One case appearing multiple times
- Incorrect amounts allegedly owed
- A sealed or expunged record that should not appear
- Outdated information
The CFPB specifically warns that different stages of one eviction proceeding can sometimes appear in a way that makes it look like several separate evictions.
Rental History
A screening company may report information about previous rentals.
Check:
- Previous addresses
- Rental dates
- Amounts allegedly owed
- Lease violations
- Prior landlord information
- Payment history
If a prior landlord supplied incorrect information, you may need to dispute it with both the screening company and the source of the information.
Credit Information
Many tenant-screening reports include credit data from one of the nationwide credit bureaus.
Check for:
- Accounts that are not yours
- Incorrect late payments
- Wrong balances
- Paid debts still showing unpaid balances
- Collections that do not belong to you
If the error originated with a nationwide credit bureau, also dispute the inaccurate information with that bureau or the company furnishing the incorrect data.
Related guide:
How to Dispute an Error on Your Credit Report
Criminal Records
Some tenant-screening products include criminal-record information where permitted.
Look for problems such as:
- A record belonging to another person
- Incorrect offense information
- A dismissed case shown incorrectly
- A sealed or expunged record
- Duplicate listings of the same case
The CFPB also notes that state laws can impose different requirements or restrictions.
Identity Information
Wrong identity information can lead to a mixed-file problem.
Review:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Previous addresses
- Aliases
- Other identifying information
If the report contains records belonging to someone with a similar name or date of birth, dispute the mismatch immediately.
Income and Employment Verification
Some rental-screening services verify:
- Employer
- Employment status
- Income
- Length of employment
If the landlord says your income could not be verified, first determine whether the information came from:
- Your application
- Your employer
- A consumer reporting company
- An automated verification provider
That distinction helps determine where the error needs to be corrected.
Tenant Scores and Recommendations
Some screening companies provide landlords with a score or recommendation rather than merely displaying raw data.
The report might classify an applicant as:
- Accept
- Conditional
- Review
- Decline
or use a numerical risk score.
A tenant-screening score is not necessarily the same thing as your consumer credit score.
Ask for the report and any score or recommendation provided to the landlord so you can understand what information was evaluated.
How to Request the Tenant-Screening Report
Use the adverse action notice rather than guessing.
Look for terms such as “consumer disclosure,” “request my report,” “consumer file” or “resident report.”
Tell the company a landlord used its report and an unfavorable rental decision resulted.
Provide the approximate date of the rental application and adverse action.
The apartment or property-management name may help locate the correct screening transaction.
The company must make sure it is giving your private report to the correct person.
Keep an untouched copy before submitting any disputes.
What Identity Verification May Be Required?
The screening company may ask for information such as:
- Full legal name
- Current address
- Previous address
- Date of birth
- Partial or full Social Security number
- Government-issued identification
- Rental property information
Use the screening company's official consumer portal or verified contact information. Tenant-screening reports contain sensitive personal information.
What if the Landlord Will Not Tell You Which Screening Company Was Used?
If the landlord took adverse action based in whole or in part on a consumer report, the adverse action notice generally must identify the consumer reporting company.
Ask directly:
Hello. Was my rental application denied or subjected to different terms because of information from a consumer report?
If so, please provide the adverse action notice and the name, address and phone number of the consumer reporting company that supplied the report.
I would also like the name of any other consumer reporting company whose information contributed to the decision.
Save the landlord's response.
If you believe your FCRA rights were violated, CFPB accepts complaints involving consumer reporting and tenant-screening companies.
What if You Never Received a Written Notice?
An FCRA adverse action notice does not always have to be on paper. It may be given orally or electronically.
However, if you were simply told:
“You didn't pass the background check.”
ask for the full adverse action information in writing.
You need the screening-company information so you can exercise your report and dispute rights.
What if the Tenant-Screening Report Is Wrong?
You have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information.
The CFPB recommends contacting:
- The company that created the tenant-screening report
- The person or company that supplied the incorrect information
Describe the error clearly and include supporting evidence.
Dispute the specific inaccurate information rather than simply asking the screening company to delete everything negative.
Common Tenant-Screening Errors
Examples include:
- Someone else's eviction in your file
- A dismissed eviction shown as though the landlord won
- One eviction appearing multiple times
- Incorrect amount allegedly owed to a former landlord
- Paid rental debt shown unpaid
- Wrong criminal record
- Sealed or expunged records appearing improperly
- Incorrect addresses
- Wrong employment information
- Credit accounts that do not belong to you
How to Dispute a Tenant-Screening Error
Mark the inaccurate entry on your copy of the report.
State what the report says and what the accurate information should be.
Examples may include court records, payment records, lease documents or proof of identity.
Use the company's official dispute process.
That could be a former landlord, credit furnisher or other source.
Preserve your report, dispute, supporting evidence and investigation result.
The CFPB says tenant-screening or credit reporting companies generally have 30 days to investigate disputes, although some circumstances allow up to 45 days and some state laws can impose shorter periods.
Eviction Was Dismissed but Still Appears
An eviction filing and an eviction judgment are not necessarily the same thing.
If a case was dismissed, make sure the report reflects the final disposition accurately.
The CFPB specifically recommends checking whether:
- The dismissal is shown
- The same case is duplicated
- Different stages of one proceeding appear as separate evictions
Obtain the court documentation showing the actual case outcome and include it with the dispute when appropriate.
What if the Eviction or Criminal Record Is Not Yours?
This can happen because of:
- Similar names
- Shared birth dates
- Old addresses
- Incomplete identifiers
- Data matching errors
- Identity theft
Do not accept a record simply because the screening company found a person with your name.
A mixed-file record can repeatedly harm future rental applications until it is corrected.
If the report also contains unfamiliar credit accounts, see:
Account on Credit Report That Is Not Yours
What if the Error Came From Experian, Equifax or TransUnion?
A tenant-screening company may incorporate credit information obtained from a nationwide credit reporting company.
If the underlying credit information is wrong:
- Dispute the tenant-screening report when appropriate.
- Check the underlying credit report.
- Dispute the inaccurate information with the credit bureau or furnisher as appropriate.
See:
Can You Ask the Landlord to Reconsider After an Error Is Corrected?
Yes, you can ask.
If the inaccurate report caused the unfavorable decision, contact the landlord or property manager after you have evidence of the correction.
You can ask:
- Whether the apartment is still available
- Whether your application can be reconsidered
- Whether the screening report can be rerun
- Whether the higher deposit or cosigner requirement can be removed
Correcting the report does not guarantee that the original apartment will still be available or that the landlord must approve you. But correcting the source is important so the same error does not affect future applications.
Before Your Next Rental Application
If you know which screening company a prospective landlord will use, ask whether you can check your report before applying.
The CFPB recommends asking property managers for the name of the consumer reporting company they use.
You can also review:
- Your traditional credit reports
- Known tenant-screening reports
- Rental debt
- Eviction court records
- Identity information
CFPB maintains a searchable list of consumer reporting companies, including tenant-screening companies and instructions for obtaining reports.
Related guide:
Free Consumer Reports You May Not Know About
Step-by-Step Plan
Keep the denial, conditional approval or higher-deposit notice.
Ask directly if the notice is unclear.
Look for its name, address and phone number.
The landlord may be willing to provide the exact report it reviewed.
Use your FCRA adverse-action right.
Do not let the adverse-action free-report period expire.
Check identity, rental history, evictions, credit, criminal records and screening results.
Send evidence to the screening company and information source as appropriate.
Keep documentation showing the corrected information.
If the rental is still available, show the landlord that the screening information was corrected.
Mistakes to Avoid
Checking Only Your Credit Report
A tenant-screening company may report information that is not on your ordinary credit report.
Ordering Random Background Reports
Find out which company the landlord actually used.
Waiting More Than 60 Days
Request the adverse-action report promptly.
Depending Only on the Landlord for a Copy
Ask the landlord, but also exercise your right to obtain the report from the consumer reporting company.
Assuming a Low Credit Score Caused Everything
The problem could be rental history, an eviction, income verification or another screening result.
Accepting “You Failed the Background Check” as the Entire Explanation
Ask which consumer reporting company supplied the report.
Demanding That All Negative Information Be Deleted
Dispute specific information that is inaccurate, incomplete or improperly attributed to you.
Applying Repeatedly Before Fixing an Error
The same incorrect report can affect several landlords.
Related Charge Decoded Guides
- Rental Application Denied Because of Credit
- Apartment Application Denied: What to Do Next
- Which Consumer Report Caused My Application Denial?
- Free Consumer Reports You May Not Know About
- How to Get a Free Credit Report From All 3 Bureaus
- Free Credit Report Dispute Letter Template
- How to Dispute an Error on Your Credit Report
- Account on Credit Report That Is Not Yours
- Credit Report Errors and Credit Repair Guide
- Free Credit Reports, Scores and Protection Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the tenant-screening report my landlord used?
Start with the adverse action notice you received after the landlord denied your application or imposed less favorable terms because of information in a consumer report. The notice generally should identify the tenant-screening company by name, address and telephone number. Contact that exact company and request a free copy of the report under your adverse-action rights. Make the request within 60 days. You can also ask the landlord for the copy it received, but do not rely on the landlord agreeing to provide it when you can request the report directly from the screening company.
Does the landlord have to give me a copy of my tenant-screening report?
Federal guidance says you can ask the landlord whether it is willing to share the report it used. The Fair Credit Reporting Act's more specific requirement after adverse action is that the landlord provide information identifying the consumer reporting company and notify you of your right to obtain a free copy directly from that company within 60 days. Therefore, if the landlord refuses to send its actual copy, request the report from the tenant-screening company named in the adverse action notice.
Is the tenant-screening report free after an apartment denial?
Yes, if the landlord took adverse action because of information in the consumer report, you generally have the right to request a free copy from the company that supplied it. The request generally must be made within 60 days after the adverse action notice. You should not need to purchase a commercial background report or subscribe to credit monitoring simply to exercise this right. Use the exact tenant-screening company listed in the landlord's notice because a different report may not contain the information the landlord actually saw.
Can I get the report if I was approved but required to pay a larger deposit?
Potentially, yes. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, adverse action in rental housing can include more than outright denial. FTC and CFPB guidance explain that requiring a larger security deposit, requiring a cosigner or charging higher rent because of information in a consumer report can trigger adverse action requirements. The landlord should identify the consumer reporting company and explain your right to request a free copy. Therefore, do not assume you lose these rights simply because the landlord technically approved your application.
How do I know which tenant-screening company the landlord used?
Look at the adverse action notice. It generally should provide the name, address and telephone number of the consumer reporting company that supplied the report. If the notice does not clearly identify the company, ask the landlord or property manager whether a consumer report was used and request the reporting company's contact information. Do not guess based on which tenant-screening companies are popular. Property managers can use different providers, and a screening package can involve more than one consumer reporting company.
Is a tenant-screening report the same as a credit report?
Not necessarily. A tenant-screening report may contain credit information from Equifax, Experian or TransUnion, but it can also include eviction records, rental history, identity information, income or employment verification, criminal records and a tenant risk score or recommendation. That is why reviewing only your three traditional credit reports may not reveal the problem that caused an apartment denial. Request the actual report or consumer file from the screening company the landlord used.
What should I do if the tenant-screening report is wrong?
Identify the exact inaccurate or incomplete information and dispute it with the tenant-screening company. When appropriate, also contact the person or company that supplied the inaccurate information. Include supporting documentation such as court records, payment records, lease documents or identity documents. Keep copies of the original report and everything you submit. CFPB guidance says tenant-screening or credit reporting companies generally have 30 days to investigate a dispute, although some situations allow up to 45 days and state law can provide different deadlines.
What if the report shows an eviction that was dismissed?
Review whether the report accurately states the final disposition of the case. The CFPB specifically warns renters to check whether an eviction filing that was dismissed still shows the dismissal and whether different stages of one eviction case appear as though they were separate evictions. Obtain court documentation showing the correct outcome and submit it with your dispute when appropriate. Also check whether the record belongs to you at all, because mistaken identity and mixed-file problems can place another person's housing record in your report.
What if the landlord denied me but never gave me an adverse action notice?
Ask whether information from a consumer report contributed to the decision. If it did, request the name, address and phone number of the consumer reporting company and ask for the adverse action information in writing. Federal law allows an adverse action notice to be written, electronic or oral, so the absence of a paper letter does not by itself prove that no notice was given. However, the required information is important because it allows you to obtain the report and dispute errors.
Can I check my tenant-screening report before applying for another apartment?
Sometimes. Ask the prospective landlord or property manager which screening company it uses. The CFPB maintains a list of consumer reporting companies, including tenant-screening providers, with information about requesting reports. Procedures vary by company, and not every screening company will already have a report on you before an application is processed. At minimum, review your traditional credit reports and correct known rental, eviction or identity errors before submitting additional applications.
Official Resources
- CFPB: Rental Application Denied Because of a Tenant-Screening Report
- CFPB: Review Your Rental Background Check
- CFPB: List of Consumer Reporting Companies
- FTC: Tenant Background Checks and Your Rights
- FTC: Disputing Errors on Your Tenant Background Check
- FTC: Using Consumer Reports — What Landlords Need to Know
Bottom Line
If a landlord says you failed a background check, do not immediately order random credit or rental-history reports.
Find out exactly which tenant-screening company the landlord used.
If information in that report caused your application to be denied—or caused the landlord to require a cosigner, larger deposit, higher rent or another unfavorable condition—the adverse action notice generally should identify the reporting company and tell you about your right to request a free report within 60 days.
Ask the landlord for the copy it reviewed, but also request your report directly from the tenant-screening company. Then check every section carefully for incorrect eviction information, mixed identities, credit errors, rental debt, criminal-record errors and outdated or incomplete information.
The practical rule: do not ask, “Which credit report should I check?” Ask, “Which exact consumer reporting company supplied the report the landlord used?” Then get that report and inspect the information that actually influenced the rental decision.
Charge Decoded provides general U.S. consumer information and does not provide individualized legal, housing or financial advice. Tenant-screening requirements and additional renter protections may vary by state and locality.
