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ContinueLearn how to understand tenant screening reports and make informed leasing decisions with this guide to Landlord Studio's screening reports.
Head of Real Estate Education & Editorial at Landlord Studio
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Landlord Guide Chapters
A tenant screening report is one of the most powerful tools landlords have to assess risk and find reliable tenants. But the report can be detailed and complex — unless you know what to look for.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through every section of Landlord Studio’s tenant screening report, powered by TransUnion SmartMove, and explain how to use each element to make the right leasing decisions.
Here’s what’s covered in a typical report:
Let’s break each one down below.
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This section is provided by the applicant and includes:
Note: Social Security Numbers are collected by TransUnion but are not shared with landlords to protect both parties and reduce liability.
Why it matters: Check the tenant’s personal details against their other records and ensure everything matches up. Discrepancies here could be a sign of fraud.
Landlord Studio reports show TransUnion’s ResidentScore. This is a renter-optimized credit score that’s between 300 and 850.
Why it matters: This gives you a quick insight into a tenant’s financial responsibility. The higher the score the more likely they are to have experience handling debt.
Remember that a credit score only tells part of the picture. For example, younger renters might have a low score because of a lack of credit history rather than a bad credit history, so always look at the full report, not just the score.
The ResidentScore weighs payment history more heavily than standard credit scores, making it more relevant for rental decisions.
Generally, landlords look for a minimum credit score of 600-650.
Tradelines are open credit accounts, including:
Why it matters: Look for patterns like consistent on-time payments, which indicate reliability. But be cautious of high credit utilization, numerous open tradelines, and any history of missed payments, as these can be signs of financial mismanagement or stress.
If an applicant fails to pay an account, it may be sent to collections (typically after 180 days).
Common collection accounts include:
Why it matters: Watch out for accounts in collections, as these suggest the applicant has struggled to meet financial obligations in the past, which could indicate an inability to meet payments in the future.,
On top of this, accounts in collections mean they now have additional debts that they will be paying, which can directly impact their cash flow and ultimately their ability to pay rent.
Inquiries are recent checks that have been carried out against the applicant's credit. Generally, these indicate that the tenant has applied for loans or credit cards.
Soft pulls (like SmartMove) don’t affect credit scores. But “hard pulls” do.
Why it matters: Multiple recent hard inquiries (e.g., from loan or credit card applications) can suggest they’ve been attempting to get loans (either they’re taking out multiple loans, or they keep getting rejected). This could suggest financial instability or overextension.
The public records shown on the Landlord Studio tenant screening report include:
Note that Chapter 7 bankruptcies (no repayment) stay on a report for 10 years, while Chapter 13 (partial repayment) stays on the report for 7. Many landlords reject Chapter 7 filings but may accept Chapter 13 with higher deposits.
Why it matters: Public records highlight serious financial issues like bankruptcies, judgments, or tax liens that may affect a tenant’s ability to pay rent. This information gives landlords context beyond a credit score, helping them assess risk, decide whether to require a higher deposit or co-signer, and ultimately protect rental income from potential defaults or evictions.
A tenant's previous rental and eviction history is statistically one of the strongest predictors of future behavior, as it often reflects payment stress that can recur.
Eviction records include:
Why it matters: There are numerous reasons a tenant might be evicted, and some of these factors are simply out of their control. Most often, though, evictions are initiated because of missed payments. So, while a previous eviction might not be an immediate disqualifier, tenants with a past eviction are statistically more likely to be evicted again, and you should definitely find out more about the eviction circumstances before proceeding.
SmartMove checks over 200 million state and federal records. But coverage varies by state/county.
Legal note: According to HUD and the FCRA, you cannot deny an applicant based solely on an arrest; the individual needs to have been convicted for this to be a contributing factor to your decision. Additionally, a conviction you use to make your decision must relate directly to a risk to your property (e.g., a conviction of financial fraud, violent behavior in multi-unit housing, or drug dealing).
Report includes:
Read: Tenant Screening Laws: What Landlords Can (and Can’t) Do
Why it matters: Criminal records provide insight into potential risks to your property, other tenants, and the community. While not every record is grounds for denial, convictions related to violence, drug activity, or financial fraud may signal higher risk. Reviewing this information (while staying compliant with HUD, FCRA, and local laws) helps landlords make fair, informed decisions and maintain a safe rental environment.
Check your local state laws before using this info to make leasing decisions.
This section lists any name variations that the applicant might be known as. For example:
Why it matters: Aliases ensure the background check is accurate and complete. Without checking all known name variations, important records (such as past evictions, criminal convictions, or credit issues) might be missed. Reviewing AKAs helps landlords confirm identity and avoid overlooking potential risks hidden under a different name.
Due to privacy and accuracy concerns, SmartMove does not include:
Note: Applicants may self-report income, but it is not verified or included in the report output. You should ask for proof of income separately as part of the application process.
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