WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE HIRING A TENANT SCREENING SERVICE? - CIC Reports
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1
WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE
HIRING A TENANT SCREENING SERVICE?
BROUGHT TO YOU BY CIC™
YOU WANT PERFECT
TENANTS, SO HOW
DO YOU FIND THEM?
Tenant screening is an essential part
of the rental housing industry. It is an
objective tool that helps to separate
the good tenants from the bad, and
acts as the first line of defense for
properties. But finding the perfect
tenant screening service can be
tricky. With so many companies
promising so many different features,
how do you know who is the right
one to trust with your business?
Selecting the most qualified tenant
screening provider can be boiled
down to 3 essential considerations:
customer service, speed, and the
quality of data they provide you.
Using these three criteria as a guide
for choosing your future tenant
screening provider can help make
finding the right company a walk in
the park.
2
CUSTOMER SERVICE A company that aims to educate your
staff is a company with your best interest
Customer service is important to consider at heart. A tenant screening provider that
when looking for a tenant screening offers ways to educate your staff, not only
provider. When deciding whether it will be about their products and services, but also
safe to approve an applicant for your about the rental housing industry is
property, it’s essential you have reliable essential. Educational resources included
resources available to assist with anything with your account are a great tool to
you need to be confident in your decision. utilize and a sign that a company cares
A company that cares about the needs of about your success within the rental
your business is a must, and the industry. Quality training courses are a
opportunity for two-way communication is part of customer service that are often
essential to mitigate your risks without overlooked, but very important
delaying your application process. nonetheless.
Look for a company that ensures their
A reliable relationship is the cornerstone own staff is exceptionally well-trained to
of any good business interaction. Without support you. Should you have any
that unique relationship, a partnership problems or questions, you want a service
cannot stand. When considering a tenant team that can quickly and easily provide
screening provider, look for someone who you with the help that you need. Try
is aware of the needs of your business and looking for a company that provides 24/7
works with you to assure that all those technical support or has a team of FCRA
needs are met. Don’t allow yourself to be certified record researchers as a way of
just another customer; choose a service vetting a quality service team.
that is excited to begin a budding
relationship with you.
DON'T BE TREATED
LIKE A NUMBER,
FIND A COMPANY
THAT CARES!
3
Be wary of trusting credit reports that
SPEED don’t make it clear what bureau(s) the
information is being provided by, or the
Speed and reliability are the cornerstones data may not have the accuracy or support
of a good tenant screening service. The you are expecting.
two go hand-in-hand, and a good provider Aside from credit, an applicant’s eviction
won’t give you one without the other. You and criminal history are important to
don’t want unreliable results delivered in consider. Background checks are critical
seconds, nor would you opt for reputable to choosing a resident that fully meets
information that takes days to be your rental criteria, and you need to pick a
compiled. When you’re considering your provider that relies on high quality sources
future tenant screening provider, be sure for this information. A provider that
to ask whether they use different methods collects their data from multiple
to verify data accuracy and how long it databases and cross-references that
takes on average to deliver reports. Also information with different names your
consider customer reviews of the service. applicants’ may have used in the past is a
Does the company provide what it says it good way to leave no stone unturned.
does? Are their delivery times consistent? Tenant screening providers who utilize
Have there been problems with their multiple sources and perform data quality
reports? Don’t blindly trust a provider; checks daily provides you with a more
make sure to do the research beforehand. detailed and accurate report than relying
If you have multiple properties with on something that uses limited resources.
reasonably high volume, it’s also worth You and your applicant’s personal
asking whether a provider will do a data information must be secure. It’s
comparison of their background check important for both you and your
reports against your current provider. It applicants to feel that their personal
might surprise you how many of your information is safe. When deciding on a
current residents that were approved may screening provider to use, look into a
not have actually met your rental criteria company that has good data security
due to missing information on their initial while delivering fast results. Experian
background check. requires its top providers of credit reports
to comply with the same high level
security standards that credit card
QUALITY OF DATA companies are required to follow. This
comes with yearly audits and regular
Reputable credit sources make for a employee training on how to treat
reputable credit report. Look for tenant sensitive information to best protect it.
screening providers who get their reports You should also consider what type of
directly from the three credit bureaus – login security a company offers for
Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. This will accessing your account. A common
provide you with the most accurate data procedure to watch for is 2-level multi-
possible and give you a truthful snapshot factor authentication which is a common
of your applicant’s credit history. practice used by banking institutions to
verify identities before allowing access to
accounts.
4
FEELING A LITTLE
MORE CONFIDENT
ABOUT TENANT
SCREENING?
The safety of your property and residents is a
priority, and your aim should be to protect
both as much as you are able. Having
a consistent rental criteria means you are
being objective in your decision so all
applicants are treated fairly, while you also
qualify potential tenants that are the most
likely to treat your property and community
with care. Tenant screening gives you the
ability to accurately and objectively evaluate
applicants while also protecting yourself
from the liabilities associated with denying
applicants based on factors that may not be
legal (such as race or familial status). Tenant
screening gives you the ability to accurately
evaluate applicants, and decide which
renters will be best suited for your property.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Choosing a tenant screening provider that ABOUT TENANT
meets your needs can make all the
difference. Be sure to consider a company’s SCREENING, VISIT
customer service, speed, and the quality of
the data before selecting them as your
CICREPORTS.COM OR CALL
provider. Without even one of these factors,
you could be opening yourself up to a service
800-288-4757.
that isn’t offering you and your property the
peace of mind you deserve.
CUSTOMER SERVICE, SPEED,
AND DATA QUALITY MAKE
FOR A GOOD TENANT
SCREENING SERVICE.
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