1
Pre-screening questions
Filter applicants early with key questions about income, move-in date, pets, and rental history.
Typical time: 5 min
Tenant screening
Find reliable tenants. Reduce turnover and risk.
A thorough screening process is your best defense against late payments, property damage, and evictions. Learn how to screen effectively while staying compliant with fair housing laws.
Background checksCredit reportsIncome verificationReference checks
Key screening metrics
2.5-3x
Income to rent ratio
Industry standard minimum
620+
Credit score
Typical minimum threshold
2 years
Rental history
Ideal verification period
3-5 days
Screening timeline
Average process duration
Process
The screening process.
Follow these steps for every applicant to ensure thorough, consistent, and compliant screening.
2
Application & consent
Collect complete application with authorization to run credit and background checks.
Typical time: 15 min
3
Income verification
Verify income is 2.5-3x monthly rent through pay stubs, tax returns, or employer verification.
Typical time: 1-2 days
4
Credit & background check
Review credit score, payment history, evictions, and criminal background.
Typical time: 1-3 days
5
Reference checks
Contact previous landlords and employer to verify rental history and employment.
Typical time: 1-2 days
6
Decision & documentation
Make consistent, documented decision based on objective criteria. Send approval or adverse action notice.
Typical time: Same day
Resources
Guides & templates.
Detailed guides and ready-to-use templates to streamline your screening process.
Guide
View resource How to screen tenants
Step-by-step process for thorough tenant screening from application to approval.
Template
View resource Rental application template
Complete rental application with all the fields you need to collect from prospective tenants.
Checklist
View resource Tenant red flags checklist
Warning signs to watch for during the screening process and how to handle them.
Fair housing compliance
Tenant screening must comply with federal, state, and local fair housing laws. Here are key compliance points:
- Apply the same screening criteria to all applicants—document your standards in writing.
- Never deny based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability (Fair Housing Act).
- Some states/cities have additional protections (source of income, criminal history limitations).
- Provide adverse action notice if denying based on credit or background check results.
- Keep application records for at least 3 years in case of fair housing complaints.
Want help screening tenants?
Our property management team handles the entire leasing process—from marketing to screening to move-in.