Posted by David on March 26, 2010 at 20:24:24:
thank you ever so much for that suggestion. it was quick and easy. I signed up, submitted the application and I have the credit report. so much easier and less red tape than the other places I contacted.
problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by David
Posted by David on March 26, 2010 at 15:07:23:
I’m a small landlord with a 3 family in NJ. I have an application from a tenant. When I called the company I’ve used in the past for running a credit check, I was told the laws have changed. I now have to fill out a new application, provide proof of ownership of the rental property, and pay 75 dollars for someone to do an on-site inspection of the property and my business office (yea, my living room). This could take 2 weeks or more, so I was told. I checked the internet, found another company that gave me pretty much the same story. Does anyone know an easier way to run a credit check on a prospective tenant, that can be done in days, not weeks?
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by FLGACA-Beth
Posted by FLGACA-Beth on April 03, 2010 at 16:15:32:
You need a 3rd party provider who can run your prospective tenants’ credit checks for you. This is one such agency in FL, they run credit and background checks nationwide so I can’t see why they couldn’t do your background checks for a nominal fee. Paul Howard is the owner of the agency. Here is his contact info. from his web site: Florida Landlord Network
P.O. Box 7402, Jacksonville, FL 32238
Toll-Free: 800.809.1530
Website: www.FlaLandlord.Com
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by Frank Chin
Posted by Frank Chin on March 28, 2010 at 15:42:00:
Dave:
I used ATS (American Tenant Screening) for about 20 years, since screening services came on the scene. About 3 to 5 years ago, they requested I fill out an application, submit bank accounts, other documents, along with a fee. They also mentioned about coming by to check out the office. I sent everything in, I don’t recall anyone coming to take photos, and I get to pay a $25.00 maintenance fee each year after if I don’t order reports.
But I have a registered service in the event I need a report.
For a number of years, I had people coming in with copies of their own reports. However, I sometimes wonder about the ingenuity of people to make reports up, so I take their copy, and still order my own.
On the scale of inconveniences, I see that if I require documentation of tenants, I got nothing to hide myself either. Compared to RE taxes, insurance, repairs, the documentation and maintenance fee is just a part of doing business, and minor by comparison.
On several occasions, I had pulled credit reports cleaned up by “credit repair services”, and by hook an crook, I had tenants admit their credit was bad. People have guilty consciences, and one case, I just said “I have some questions about your credit report”, and the tenant blurted out “I thought everything was cleaned up”.
If I’m going to be a landlord in the long run, I would have a screening service at the ready, and often I find people surprised to hear a small LL running a report, and come clean with me before I run it, such as “I was bankrupt 2 years ago, would that turn up”??.
I would then say “want to tell me about it”??
Real issue NJ LL/T law? - Posted by John Merchant
Posted by John Merchant on March 27, 2010 at 08:45:36:
My usual MO is to just tell the prospective customer/tenant/buyer to pull up his own FREE tri-merged credit report and FICO score and give it to me.
This has worked well for me and has got me lots of FICOs quickly and free.
But here I’m thinking probably NJ has some Landlord/Tenant law you, as a LL, need to learn and know before you enter ANY kind of rental agreement with a Tenant there.
E.g. property inspection mandatory? You’ve got to know before commencing to rent.
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by michelle
Posted by michelle on March 26, 2010 at 22:48:54:
You should check into a good skip tracer, most of them do credit checks.
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by Ken
Posted by Ken on March 26, 2010 at 19:45:51:
Try mrlandlord.com
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by michaela-CA
Posted by michaela-CA on March 26, 2010 at 16:35:32:
David,
ask the tenant to go to www.annualcreditreport.com and get their own reports and show them to you
Michaela
The need to confess - Posted by John Merchant
Posted by John Merchant on April 03, 2010 at 10:54:06:
I’ve heard and read a number of cops and prosecutors say that a high percentage of crimes, even murder, are solved, when perpetrator blurts out his/her own admission/confession.
Apparently the urge to confess is one of the strongest human needs and just eats on the soul until it’s done.
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by Frank Chin
Posted by Frank Chin on March 29, 2010 at 06:59:40:
Before tenant screening services came on the scene, I looked up my local yellow pages for PI’s, (Private Investigative agencies), and they quoted around $75.00 to $100.00 for each report back then. Sounds expensive till you have to evict a bad tenant.
When tenant screening services came into being, credit reports started out at $20 to $25 each, and prices came down where a package deal with employment, eviction, backrground checks can be obtained.
The way that worked was I faxed my completed application to the PI firm, and they order the report, then faxed the copy back to me. What I basically did was hire them to do an investigation, which they are perfectly allowed to do.
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by cork horner
Posted by cork horner on March 29, 2010 at 24:47:42:
Are there any skip tracers worthy of trusting them anymore?
Re: problem running a credit check on a tenant - Posted by Sailor
Posted by Sailor on March 28, 2010 at 10:59:16:
They do the same thing, which is why I no longer use them. There is no way I’m letting anyone into the bedroom where I keep locked files so he can take pics.
Tye