For Landlords, the tenant screening process is often a comprehensive vetting system that requires a certain level of due diligence when renting their properties. Running a full Credit check on a prospective renter costs money and takes time, but it can definitely bring peace of mind to a landlord. An applicant’s credit score and overall credit history tend to be the most important aspects of the tenant screening process. A credit score measures the likelihood that you will pay back any debt.

Here are the five key aspects that landlords look for when screening prospective tenants:

Late Payments
The most important thing for property managers and landlords during the screening process is being confident that you will pay rent on time. One way of determining this is by checking your credit scores and reports as they demonstrate their history of managing credit over a 7-10 year span, including how often you have made late payments as well as any current collection activity. Therefore, a credit check that reveals a high credit score and a history of on-time payments across various financial accounts will prove that you are responsible and can meet the lease requirements. Some landlords allow tenants who have negative credit information to lease a unit with the caveat that they provide larger deposits or have a family member co-sign the lease.

Proof of Evictions
Another key aspect that landlords look for is whether the screened tenant has had any evictions in the past. Though evictions do not show up on credit reports, there may be eviction reports taken from other sources that are included alongside credit reports as part of a screening service. As such, landlords have the right to refuse to rent to a prospective tenant based on their eviction activity.

Criminal History
Your credit report could also show signs of criminal activity in the public records section. Unlike information on any late payments you’ve made, this type of information is not expelled from your record after a certain amount of time. Some landlords refuse to rent their apartment or house to applicants with criminal records, regardless of how severe the crime or the circumstances behind it. Fortunately, current civil rights laws mandate that landlords cannot deny housing to an individual whose past arrest did not result in a conviction.

Lawsuits
In addition to providing a person’s credit history, a credit report also includes information on any lawsuits filed against a rental applicant over the last 10 years. Although any pending civil lawsuits or judgments might not directly impact your ability to pay rent on time, a landlord could see them as a potential drain on your finances in the future as they could prevent you from paying rent on time.

Financial Stability
Rental property managers and landlords want to know a prospective tenant’s employment history including their current job and income. Some landlords even require applicants’ annual income to be double or even triple the amount of the unit’s annual rent. They will often ask for a copy of last year’s T4 document, pay stubs and a letter of recommendation from your employer as proof of income. Freelancers or individuals with an unsteady income will have to show patterns of income or a savings account information that will provide sufficient proof that they are able to pay rent on time.

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