How Far Back Do Apartments Check Rental History?

The majority of apartment background checks will look at your credit, employment, and rental history for the past 7-10 years. Let’s take a deeper look at what you can expect from an apartment background check.

What Are Background Checks For Apartments?

A background check, otherwise known as tenant screening, is a check done to verify a prospective tenant’s identity, rental history, employment, and creditworthiness. This is an essential step in any apartment rental process, as it helps landlords identify and select qualified tenants to rent their properties. Tenants who pass background checks will be viewed as responsible individuals who will pay their rent on time.

The following information is needed for a thorough tenant screening:

• Full legal name.
• Contact information.
• Date of birth.
• Social security number.
• Employment history.
• Rental history.
• Criminal history.
• Credit report.

How Far Back Will Apartments Check Your Rental History?

Typically, these background checks will go back 7-10 years to look at your credit and employment history. Negative reports like a car repossession will stay in your credit report for 7 years. Meanwhile, a bankruptcy will stay in your report for 10 years.

What Do Apartments Look For In Background Checks?

If you are wondering why your rental application was ultimately denied, it could be traced back to one of these ten factors listed below.

Long Gaps In Rental History

Rental history gaps can make some landlords suspicious as tenants can omit information like prior evictions. Long rental gaps where you lived with friends/family or owned a home are perfectly acceptable.

Insufficient Income

Typically, the number one reason why you may be disqualified from renting an apartment is insufficient income. Tenants that are new to renting or receiving their income in cash will need to show proof of income. Some property managers may be willing to accept cash, but having a cosigner on standby is recommended.

Criminal Record

Apartment rental applications conduct background checks, and depending on any criminal charges on your record, you may be disqualified from renting. Violent criminal history, such as murder felonies or burglaries, often lead to disqualification. Individuals with arrest and conviction records do have housing rights, but a screening process consisting of sponsors, references, and personal letters will likely take place ahead of time.

Past Evictions

Prior evictions on your record are a primary cause for rental application denial. Landlords can discover past evictions by either contacting your previous landlord(s) or running an eviction report.

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy as a result of a lost job is usually accepted along with supporting bank statements and/or reference letters. However, you may be denied if you cannot show credit score improvements since declaring bankruptcy.

No References

A lack of references or even no references at all can be a red flag for prospective landlords.

Bad Credit

The majority of apartment applications require a minimum 650 credit score. You are likely to either be denied or asked for a cosigner if you have a poor credit history.

Miscellaneous

Errors filling out the application, pet policies, and apartment overcrowding can also disqualify certain individuals from renting.

Can Landlords Reject An Application Based On A Background Check?

Yes, a landlord can reject your application for the apartment based on a bad background check. If they are worried about your ability to pay rent or take care of the apartment, they have the right to reject you as an applicant.

Landlords do need to apply the same standards for all their background checks. If they pick and choose their standards, this is a violation of fair housing laws.

How Long Do Apartment Background Checks Take?

The amount of time it ultimately takes to screen a tenant will vary based on several factors, including the complexity of the screening process, availability of information, and the tenant’s responsiveness. As mentioned above, most background checks can be completed within just a few days or a few weeks.