How to Pull My Rental History Report
Navigate the process of obtaining your rental history report. Discover what's included and how to ensure its accuracy for housing success.
A rental history report provides a detailed overview of an individual’s past rental experiences. It offers potential landlords insight into your reliability as a tenant. Understanding the report’s contents allows you to proactively address inaccuracies, which can help ensure a smoother application process.
What Your Rental History Includes
A rental history report compiles information related to your previous tenancies. It details former addresses and the duration of your stays at each location. The report also includes your rent payment timeliness, noting whether payments were consistently on time, late, or missed.
Beyond payment behavior, the report may document lease violations, such as property damage, unauthorized occupants, or noise complaints. Eviction records or unlawful detainer actions are included. Contact information for previous landlords or property management companies is also part of the report.
Common Ways to Access Your Rental History
Your rental history can be accessed from several sources. Previous landlords and property managers are direct sources for records specific to your tenancy with them. To gather these records, you will need their contact information and the precise dates of your tenancy at each property.
Tenant screening companies and databases are third-party agencies that collect and compile tenant data for landlords. These companies, such as Experian RentBureau, CoreLogic SafeRent, and TransUnion SmartMove, allow individuals to request their own consumer reports. When requesting from these sources, you will need to provide personal identifying information like your full name, previous addresses, and date of birth.
Some rental payment data may appear on your credit reports, especially if reported by property management or collection agencies. The three major credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—can incorporate rental payment details.
How to Request Your Rental History
Obtaining your rental history from previous landlords often involves making a formal request. You can send a written letter or email requesting specific information, such as a payment ledger or a reference letter, and include your dates of tenancy. This approach can facilitate cooperation from former landlords.
When seeking reports from tenant screening companies, first identify which companies might possess your data; this information is sometimes found on past rental applications. You can visit their websites and navigate to a “consumer” or “disclosure” section for instructions on requesting a consumer disclosure report. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) grants you the right to receive a free copy of such a report annually.
To access information that may be on your credit report, obtain a free annual credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you receive these reports, carefully review them for any rental-related information, such as collections for unpaid rent.
Understanding and Disputing Errors
After obtaining your rental history report, carefully review all details for accuracy. Check that previous addresses, dates of tenancy, and rent payment statuses are correct. Common errors can include incorrect payment dates, misattributed evictions, or outdated information.
If you identify an error, you can initiate a dispute. For landlord-reported errors, contact the previous landlord directly, provide evidence supporting your claim, and request a correction to their records. For errors on reports from tenant screening companies or credit bureaus, formally dispute the inaccuracy with the reporting agency. This involves filing a written dispute and providing supporting documentation. The agency is required to investigate your claim within 30 days under FCRA. Keep detailed records of all communications and supporting documents throughout the dispute process.