What do rental background checks look for?
Ava Robinson
Published Mar 10, 2026
A background check for an apartment can include a national criminal background check, credit report, eviction history, and employment history. Specific landlords or property managers may choose to run one or all of these screenings and applicants will need to give signed consent to have a background check performed.
What checks should a landlord do?
By law, landlords must ensure that the electrical system – such as sockets and light fittings – in the property they let is safe. They must also check that all electrical items supplied as part of the tenancy – such as cookers and lamps – are safe. Conduct a visual inspection of the electrical system between tenancies.
What shows up in an employment background check?
Pre-employment background checks typically include criminal-background checks, plus verification of information on past employment, education, and professional licenses. Depending on the nature of the job under consideration, employers may specify that pre-hiring screenings search candidates’ driving records.
How can I clean my rental history?
You can petition to have a previous eviction removed from your rental history by the reporting company if you’ve since repaid the landlord or community. Look into an eviction expungement in your county.
What shows up on a credit check for an apartment?
Some of the things landlords look for in a credit check include your credit score, whether you pay your bills on time, your rental history, and whether you have any debt (and how much debt compared to your income).
What happens if you fail tenant referencing?
What if my tenant fails their reference? Referencing is useful because it reveals possible problems, but in the end, it is ultimately the landlord’s decision, even if the tenant fails referencing. A tenant could fail a reference for various reasons, in different areas, yet still be a good choice for the property.
What happens if you lie to get an apartment?
If you lie on an application, more than likely the truth will be found out before the lease is signed. Landlords give the applications to potential renters for the sole purpose of following up on them. Lies about previous rentals, addresses and backgrounds will be found out. Criminal history will also be uncovered.
What looks bad on a background check?
Reasons For A Failed Background Check. What causes a red flag on a background check? There are plenty of reasons a person may not pass a background check, including criminal history, education discrepancies, poor credit history, damaged driving record, false employment history, and a failed drug test.
Can I still get an apartment without credit?
Most apartment complexes and management companies require a credit check. However, some individual owners will let you rent without established credit. Generally, these landlords will still ask you to prove income stability.
How do you get bad rental history off your credit?
If there are errors, contact a credit reporting agency, challenge the errors and see that they are removed. 3. Close the gaps. If the information in the report is correct and reflects negatively on you, then meet with the landlord who lodged the complaint and try to rectify the situation.
Can I lie about rental history?
Calling your rental applicant’s previous landlords for a reference is standard practice in tenant screening. Regardless of the reason, lying on a rental application is a major tenant screening red flag. If you discover your applicant has lied about a rental reference, you can (and should) deny them housing.