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Screening a tenant, done properly

If you are renting out a property in Hot Springs, the screening step is where the law is most specific. Here is the sequence that keeps you on the right side of it.

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Write your criteria down before you advertise

Income multiple, credit floor, pet policy, how you treat a prior eviction. Deciding these in advance and applying them in the same order to every applicant is the single best protection you have, and it also makes the decision faster.

Get written consent, then pull the report

A screening report is a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and needs the applicant's written permission first.

Read the report as evidence, not a verdict

Eviction records often omit dismissed cases; criminal records go stale. If something looks disqualifying, ask about it before deciding.

Send an adverse action notice if you decline on it

It names the agency that supplied the report and tells the applicant they can dispute what is in it. It is required, and it is easy to forget.

SmartMove is TransUnion's screening product aimed at individual landlords rather than agencies. It is the one we link to because it is the one we have a relationship with — see the note above.

Screen a tenant with SmartMove
Something here not match your situation? Ask us — we would rather answer a question than have you guess. This page is general information, not legal advice.