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Tenant Screening Companies: Choosing the Right One for Your Property

Did you know that 77 million Americans have some form of criminal record?

When processing rental applications, is easy to judge a book by its cover. A person may seem decent, reliable, and honest on the surface, but could be hiding some pretty damning secrets. Without the help of tenant screening companies, you may become aware of these issues too late and be forced to evict them prematurely.

When screening tenants with background checks, you will have a lot of options to choose from. It's not advisable to go with the first one on the list. So in this guide, we are here to point you in the right direction.

Keep reading for a guide on how to choose tenant screening companies.

Prioritize Tenant Screening Companies That Give Comprehensive Information

There's a lot more that goes into background checks than just criminal history. Property management ought to know a tenant's history of eviction, if they are registered on the sex offender registry, and much more. Not all tenant screening companies are capable of pulling this information.

Further, you want to be sure that the company you contract can find information across state lines. Sometimes, you may have a tenant with a clean record in your location or state. But upon closer examination, you discover that they had issues elsewhere.

Examine the company's methods, and read reviews. You may discover from other property managers whether or not a service was complete.

Prioritize Tenant Privacy

Privacy is a big deal these days after so many security breaches have affected major companies. Aside from lackluster security, some companies do not take the effort to maintain customer confidentiality. They may not use best practice when handling sensitive information like Social Security numbers.

The best way to find a tenant screening company that is privacy conscious is through its privacy policy. If they sell or mishandle user information, there's a good chance they may admit to the practice here.

Otherwise, you can seek out security audits. These are when an independent third party investigates the company. If they have any privacy issues, they won't be able to hide them from a proper audit.

Find a Service That Makes the Process Very Easy

The above aside, the most important thing for you is a service that is easy to use. This should be one that can take minimal information and find your tenants' background information with high accuracy.

You want a background check service that gives you regular updates on every background check. They should have a user-friendly website and friendly customer service. After all, you want a company that you can come to year after year for the rest of your time as a property manager.

Find Property Management with EJF

These days, it's a no-brainer to screen your tenants. Unfortunately, tenant screening companies are not made equal. As you are in the market for a good one, keep the above in mind.

TJF is a family-owned company with a strong network of referrals in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Needless to say, we know real estate like nobody else. Visit our website today and get a free consultation.

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