How to Do a Credit Report on a Renter

Getting a credit report for a prospective tenant is an important step that you can take as a landlord to limit your potential risk. Credit reports show the record of the tenant for paying her bills on time. Most importantly, it will show whether that tenant has an eviction or foreclosure on her record. While past behavior is not necessarily indicative of what she will be like in the future, it's important enough to want to know before you make a decision.

Instructions

1

Ask that the tenant provide a signed confirmation of her consent to allow you to order her credit report. You can put this on a tenant application form or draw up a separate contract. You will need to be able to prove that she consented in order to get a copy of her credit report. You'll need her full name and social security number as well.

2

Pay the subscription fee for one or all of the three major credit bureaus' reporting services. The three main bureaus for consumer credit reporting are Transunion, Experian and Equifax. If you want a complete picture of your tenant's credit rating, you'll need to order subscriptions for each service. You may cancel afterward if you only need one report or a limited number of reports.

3

Request credit reports from each of the bureaus for your tenant. When requested, send copies of the tenant's signed agreement in order to receive her credit reports.

4

Review the credit reports and use them to inform your decision on bringing in the tenant.