Tenant screening
The landlord's review of a prospective tenant: credit, background, income, rental history. Fair housing rules apply, so screening has to use the same standards for everyone.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
Screening has to use the same standards for every applicant, because fair housing applies. A seller of a rental hands over the screening records with the lease, and a buyer who plans to rent will ask how the tenant was screened.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
Your file shows the tenant was screened on income of three times rent, a credit check and rental references, the same as every applicant before them.
| The screening record | What it does at sale |
|---|---|
| Consistent standards, documented | Reassures the buyer and protects the seller |
| No records | A question the buyer cannot answer about the tenant they are inheriting |
| Standards that varied by applicant | A fair housing exposure that came with the tenant |
Screening is a process with a record, and the record is part of the file the buyer gets.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That screening is a gut call. It is the same test for everyone, in writing, or it is a fair housing problem.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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