How to Check Your Rental History Report
Manage your rental history effectively. Learn to access, review, and correct your report for accurate housing records.
A rental history report serves as a record of an individual’s past tenancy, detailing their behavior and payment patterns as a renter. This document provides landlords with insights into a prospective tenant’s reliability and adherence to lease agreements. Understanding your own rental history is beneficial to ensure accuracy before submitting new rental applications. By proactively reviewing this information, individuals can identify and address any discrepancies, helping present a clear and accurate representation of their rental background to future property managers.
Primary Sources for Rental History
Major credit bureaus, including Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, may incorporate rental payment data into a consumer’s credit report if landlords report this activity. While not all landlords report to credit bureaus, those who do can influence an individual’s overall credit standing. This data includes on-time payments, late payments, or defaults.
Specialized tenant screening companies collect and provide detailed rental history reports. Companies like LexisNexis ResidentScore, CoreLogic SafeRent, and TransUnion SmartMove are prominent examples. These firms gather extensive data, such as eviction records, previous addresses, and sometimes criminal background information, specifically for landlord use. This data offers a deeper look into an applicant’s rental behaviors.
Previous landlords serve as a direct source of rental history. Many landlords request references from prior property managers during the application process. These references provide insights into a tenant’s conduct, property maintenance, and adherence to lease terms, supplementing formal reports. Landlords may share details about payment consistency, lease violations, or property damage incidents.
Requesting Your Rental History Reports
For reports from major credit bureaus, individuals can access a free copy of their credit report, which may include rental payment data, once every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com. This centralized website provides a streamlined process for requesting reports from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Identity verification, such as providing your Social Security number and current address, is required.
To access consumer disclosures from specialized tenant screening companies, directly contact each company that may possess your data. Since there isn’t a single centralized portal, identify which companies are commonly used by landlords in your area or by your previous landlords. Once identified, their websites provide instructions for requesting a copy of your consumer file, often under “Consumer Information” or “Dispute an Item.” These requests require submitting a formal request form with proof of identity and address.
Individuals can also directly request their rental records or a reference from a previous landlord. This might involve sending a formal written request or contacting them by phone or email. Landlords are generally willing to provide a reference or a copy of your tenant ledger, which details payment history and any charges. Retaining copies of past lease agreements and rent payment receipts serves as personal documentation of your rental history.
Reviewing Your Rental History Report
Once you obtain your rental history reports, a thorough review ensures accuracy. Verify all personal identifying information, such as your name, current and previous addresses, and Social Security number, for errors. Inaccuracies in this data could lead to confusion or misidentification.
Examine the payment history section, noting on-time payments, late payments, or missed payments. Cross-reference these entries with your financial records, such as bank statements or rent receipts, to confirm consistency. The report may also disclose records of evictions, court judgments related to tenancy, or bankruptcies that occurred during a rental period. Such entries can significantly impact future rental applications.
The report might also contain information regarding lease violations or details about property damages and disputes that occurred during your tenancy. Pay close attention to the length of tenancies listed, ensuring the start and end dates for each rental period are accurate. Identifying discrepancies during this review phase is a proactive step in managing your rental profile.
Disputing Inaccuracies in Your Report
If you identify inaccuracies in your rental history report, initiate a dispute process. For errors on reports from credit bureaus, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) grants consumers the right to dispute inaccurate information. Contact both the credit bureau (Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax) and the information furnisher, such as a property management company, in writing. The credit bureau has 30 to 45 days to investigate the dispute.
A similar dispute process applies to inaccuracies found in reports from specialized tenant screening companies. These companies are also subject to the FCRA and must investigate disputes within a similar timeframe. You need to submit a formal dispute form, detailing the specific error and providing supporting documentation. Send dispute letters via certified mail with a return receipt requested to maintain a record of your communication.
Gathering supporting documentation is important for any dispute. This includes rent receipts, cancelled checks, bank statements showing on-time payments, copies of lease agreements, and correspondence with landlords regarding payments or property conditions. These documents provide evidence to validate your claim. After investigation, if information is inaccurate or unverifiable, the reporting agency must correct or remove it from your file.