How does ordering a RentPrep report work?

A landlord creates a free Stessa account, picks a screening package, and fills in the required information. RentPrep then sends the applicant a link to complete their part of the process and emails the landlord when the report is ready to view in Stessa.

How long does a screening report take?

The SmartMove credit report is usually available within minutes of the applicant verifying their identity. Full background checks ordered Monday to Friday during business hours are typically ready within two to three hours; after-hours orders are generally completed the following workday.

Why are judgments and liens missing from the credit report?

Most civil judgments and more than half of all tax liens were removed from credit reports in July 2017 under the National Consumer Assistance Plan, and SmartMove lost access to that data then. The Credit Report plus Full Background Check option is what covers judgments and liens.

Are RentPrep and Stessa the same company?

They are separate brands owned by Roofstock with an integrated service delivery model. Roofstock acquired Stessa in 2021 and RentPrep in 2022, and RentPrep screening reports are now delivered inside Stessa.

Tenant screening

RentPrep

RentPrep is a tenant screening company whose reports are compiled by FCRA-certified screeners working from offices near Buffalo, New York. It offers two kinds of report: an automated SmartMove credit report, and a full background check that a screener assembles by hand from multiple national and state databases.

Before a background check runs, a screener pre-verifies the applicant's identity by comparing name, Social Security number, and date of birth against its databases, and results are validated by a person rather than returned straight from a database. The full background check covers nationwide criminal and sex offender searches, nationwide evictions, and judgments and liens; the enterprise package includes a TransUnion credit report with a FICO 04 score, with income verification available. The company advises against the credit-report-only option for anyone worried about criminal history, evictions, or judgments, since those do not appear in credit data.

Orders are placed and reports delivered through Stessa. Credit Report Only is $29 and the Complete Screening Package is $49, with an income verification add-on at $10 and combined income and employment verification at $15. There are no signup fees, monthly minimums, annual fees, or long-term contracts on retail screening, and landlord-pay or tenant-pay options are available. A separate enterprise tier for owners and managers with 50 or more doors adds customizable workflows that sit alongside an existing leasing system, applicant-pay options, and a dedicated account rep. Full background checks ordered in business hours are typically ready in two to three hours.

RentPrep and its sister company Stessa are both owned by Roofstock, which acquired Stessa in 2021 and RentPrep in 2022. The company says it has completed more than 2 million tenant screenings, and it lists association with the Professional Background Screening Association and Concerned CRAs. Support runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern, with live chat and email also available Sundays 10am to 3pm, from 1821 Como Park Blvd, Lancaster, NY 14086.

Best for

Landlords who want eviction, criminal, and judgment searches validated by a human screener rather than an instant database pull, and owners or managers with 50 or more doors who want screening separate from their property management software.

What they do

Full background checks compiled by FCRA-certified screeners
SmartMove automated credit reports
Nationwide criminal and sex offender searches
Nationwide eviction searches
Judgment and lien searches
Income verification add-on
Income and employment verification add-on
Enterprise screening for portfolios of 50 or more doors

Details

Attribute	Value
Ownership	Subsidiary
Memberships	Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), Concerned CRAs
How they charge	Credit Report Only $29 and Complete Screening Package $49; income verification add-on $10, income and employment verification $15.

What stands out

Says it has completed more than 2 million tenant screenings.
Screeners pre-verify an applicant's name, Social Security number, and date of birth before the check is run.
Retail screening carries no signup fees, monthly minimums, annual fees, or long-term contracts.
Owned by Roofstock, which acquired Stessa in 2021 and RentPrep in 2022.
Lists association with the Professional Background Screening Association and Concerned CRAs.

Common questions

How does ordering a RentPrep report work?: A landlord creates a free Stessa account, picks a screening package, and fills in the required information. RentPrep then sends the applicant a link to complete their part of the process and emails the landlord when the report is ready to view in Stessa.
How long does a screening report take?: The SmartMove credit report is usually available within minutes of the applicant verifying their identity. Full background checks ordered Monday to Friday during business hours are typically ready within two to three hours; after-hours orders are generally completed the following workday.
Why are judgments and liens missing from the credit report?: Most civil judgments and more than half of all tax liens were removed from credit reports in July 2017 under the National Consumer Assistance Plan, and SmartMove lost access to that data then. The Credit Report plus Full Background Check option is what covers judgments and liens.
Are RentPrep and Stessa the same company?: They are separate brands owned by Roofstock with an integrated service delivery model. Roofstock acquired Stessa in 2021 and RentPrep in 2022, and RentPrep screening reports are now delivered inside Stessa.