As a property manager, you have the opportunity to provide the backdrop for life's significant moments—where people will celebrate birthdays, raise their kids, and find some quiet after long workdays. You're also looking to ensure your homes remain safe, well-maintained, and financially stable.

This balance is at the heart of effective tenant screening. Behind most applications is a person with good intentions to pay the rent on time and treat your properties well, but reasonable checks on credit, eviction history, and criminal background help you create communities where all residents can thrive while maintaining a sustainable business.

"We believe housing is fundamental," says Hailey Hollins, Onboarding Lead at Findigs. "Our goal is to help property managers find great residents while giving every applicant a fair chance at finding a home that works for them."

The tenant background check is just one tool in creating this balanced approach. When done thoughtfully, it helps connect good renters with good homes while safeguarding your investment. Let's explore how these checks work and how to use them in ways that benefit both your business and the people you serve.

Credit checks: Understanding financial circumstances

Credit information provides a snapshot of an applicant's financial situation, though it doesn't always tell the whole story.

Looking beyond the score

Credit reports typically come from major credit bureaus like TransUnion, Equifax, or Experian. These reports show:

• Credit scores
• Payment history
• Collections accounts
• Bankruptcies and foreclosures
• Open credit lines and utilization

Many property managers establish credit guidelines while considering whether the housing is affordable for the applicant. This isn't just about protection—it's about setting people up for success in a home they can comfortably afford.

"The way most management companies do it is they'll have a score threshold," explains Hollins. "For instance, a score of 650 might mean approval with a standard deposit. If you have a score up to 575, you could be approved, but with a higher deposit."

Creating opportunities

While credit provides important information, the right credit thresholds for you to set will depend on factors like your market and occupancy goals. With units vacant, you face revenue loss—and potential residents miss out on housing opportunities. Security deposit alternatives for applicants with lower scores or the option to include a guarantor can create pathways to housing for more people while still protecting your investment.

Eviction checks: What was the life circumstance?

Eviction records can provide context about previous rental experiences, but they're often more complicated than they appear at first glance.

Data sources and verification 

"We use TransUnion for our eviction screening," explains Hollins. "They have, through their partners, the ability to pull records from hundreds of county courthouses throughout the US."

Other screening providers use similar national databases including LexisNexis, PeopleFinders, and RentGrow, though coverage and verification processes can vary significantly between providers. When an eviction record appears, thorough providers verify it's still valid—not expunged or suppressed—before including it.

People-first considerations

Using eviction records requires careful consideration:

• Depending on the jurisdiction, eviction records may be limited to seven years or even shorter timeframes
• Some jurisdictions have suppressed eviction records from certain periods (like California during COVID)
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warned in 2023 that using eviction filings (versus final evictions) may not accurately predict rental payment behavior

Recognizing life’s complexities 

Evictions often happen because of temporary life challenges, not a pattern of behavior.

"There are a lot of people who have circumstances in their life that just change," Hollins observes. "What if you were getting divorced? What if you were in an abusive situation?"

Research from the Urban Institute confirms that many evictions happen because of temporary hardships, not chronic payment problems. Looking at the full picture—including what's happened since an eviction—can help you find qualified renters who will value the opportunity you provide.

Criminal background checks: promoting safety while expanding access

Criminal background checks can support community wellbeing, but they're most effective when used thoughtfully rather than as automatic disqualifiers.

Finding the right information

Criminal background checks require careful attention to accuracy and completeness to ensure fair decisions for all applicants.

"Criminal databases exist and can be accessed—TransUnion uses Asurint, for example—but you may also need to go directly to specific jurisdictions to inquire about criminal records," explains Hollins. "We take extra steps to verify information by checking courthouse records directly, which helps reduce errors and ensures we're working with the most current information."

This verification process is essential for fairness. Outdated or incorrect criminal records could unfairly prevent someone from accessing housing, so responsible screening providers prioritize accuracy over speed. This approach helps property managers make decisions based on reliable information while reducing the risk of unfairly denying housing to someone based on inaccurate records.

Supporting second chances

To promote both community safety and housing access, criminal background screening now emphasizes individualized review. This approach recognizes that people can and do change, and past mistakes shouldn't necessarily lead to perpetual housing barriers.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) suggests housing providers consider factors such as:

• The nature and severity of the crime
• How long it's been since the criminal conduct
• Evidence of rehabilitation efforts

"In Cook County, they have legislation where you can't run criminal checks until you've made a conditional offer of approval based on all other factors," Hollins notes.

This more nuanced approach opens doors for people who have worked hard to rebuild their lives, creating more opportunities for stable housing while still maintaining community standards.

The value of one screening platform

Background checks work best when they're part of a thoughtful, comprehensive screening process that considers the whole person.

"You're getting all of the information in one place, and you're able to use it for more than one piece of the puzzle," explains Hollins. "We see connections that might be missed when everything is scattered across different systems."

The case for connected information

When background checks work alongside identity verification and income documentation on a single platform, you gain a fuller picture of each applicant.

"Sometimes we tie in the cross-check. Simple stuff like, does that name appear in the same way on every piece of documentation we have?" explains Steve Wake, Head of Design at Findigs. "We might look for a risk signal in one place that prompts us to go deeper in another place."

Overcoming common challenges

Some challenges property managers face with traditional background checks include:

• Outdated information that doesn't reflect current circumstances
• Compliance concerns when using non-standard sources
• Delays from juggling multiple screening vendors
• Missing important connections between different pieces of information

Creating a fair and effective process

The best screening approaches help you find qualified residents quickly while treating applicants with dignity and respect.

Moving beyond one-size-fits all

The rental industry increasingly recognizes that outdated screening practices can create unnecessary housing barriers. The National Multifamily Housing Council acknowledges the need for balanced approaches that protect properties while expanding housing access.

"Should you be denied housing because you did something 20 years ago? Probably not," questions Hollins. "We have a housing crisis, so what are we doing to help solve it?"

Consistency with compassion

Automated screening helps maintain consistent criteria across all applicants—reducing the risk of bias while speeding up decisions.

"The more you're reviewing things one by one with different people making judgments, the idea that you're going to be applying the same criteria to everyone gets unlikely," notes Hollins.

Thoughtfully designed screening automation removes that human bias and accelerates the process, benefiting both property managers and applicants waiting to hear about their new home.

Bringing it all together 

Background checks help you build communities where both you and your residents can thrive. When you understand what each element tells you—and what it doesn't—you can make better decisions that work for everyone involved.

The most effective screening balances protection with opportunity. That balance helps maintain safe, well-maintained communities while recognizing the fundamental human need for housing.

With changing regulations and new challenges like rental scams, having a straightforward, compliant process matters more than ever. When that's in place, you reduce risk, fill units faster, and make life better for both your team and the people seeking homes.

At Findigs, we believe in making the rental process work better for everyone. Our approach takes the screening process of your plate by applying your pre-established criteria consistently to every renter. With Findigs handling the routine aspects of screening, your team can focus on creating communities where people love to live.

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