Tenant screening
TransUnion SmartMove
TransUnion SmartMove is an online tenant screening product aimed at independent landlords and small property managers. Reports come straight from TransUnion, and the landlord can pay or, where state and local law permits, pass the fee to the applicant.
Signup is online with no setup fee, membership or minimum. The applicant consents and verifies their identity online, and most reports come back the same day. Packages bundle a credit report carrying TransUnion's ResidentScore with a criminal background report, an eviction-related proceedings report, an Income Insights report and an Identity Check report. The credit pull is a soft inquiry, so it does not affect the applicant's score.
ResidentScore runs from 350 to 850 and, per TransUnion's 2016 research, identifies 15% more evictions and 19% more skips than a typical credit score in the riskiest score band, and can score applicants with thin files who have at least one tradeline. Criminal data covers multiple state record sets, national sex offender registries and most-wanted databases. Eviction records are limited to proceedings with a final judgment, including judgments for possession and for money. Income Insights estimates job and non-job income and a rent-to-income ratio so a landlord can decide which applicants need documented proof. Identity Check compares name, address, Social Security number and date of birth against TransUnion's files and flags fraud and deceased-person alerts.
Two limits are worth reading before relying on the output. Criminal and eviction reporting is subject to federal, state and local law, and some jurisdictions restrict which records can be returned. TransUnion also states that the Identity Check report cannot be used as the basis for denying an applicant, only as a prompt to ask for more proof of identity.
Best for
Independent landlords and small managers screening a handful of applicants a year who want bureau-direct reports with no membership or minimum. Operators who need bulk screening wired into a property management system will want an integrated provider.
What they do
- Tenant credit reports with ResidentScore
- Criminal background reports
- Eviction-related proceedings reports
- Income Insights income estimates
- Identity Check verification reports
- Applicant-paid screening option
- Adverse action letter template
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| How they charge | SmartCheck Basic $25, SmartCheck Plus $40 and SmartCheck Premium $49 per screening, plus tax where applicable; no membership, minimums or setup fees. |
What stands out
- Reports are delivered directly by TransUnion, and most come back the same day.
- ResidentScore is scored 350 to 850 and, per 2016 TransUnion research, identifies 15% more evictions and 19% more skips than a typical credit score.
- The credit check is a soft inquiry and does not affect the applicant's credit score.
- Screening packages are priced at $25, $40 and $49 per applicant, with the option to have the applicant pay.
Common questions
- What is the ResidentScore range?
- ResidentScore runs from 350 to 850, with 850 the best possible score. It uses credit report data but is engineered for rental screening rather than general credit risk, and can score applicants with at least one account on file.
- Can an applicant be denied based on the Identity Check report?
- No. TransUnion states the Identity Check report cannot be used as the basis for denying an applicant. Its alerts are meant to tell a landlord when to request additional proof of identity.
- How quickly do the reports come back?
- Most reports, including identity checks, are delivered the same day, once the applicant has consented online and verified their identity.
- Who pays for the screening?
- The landlord chooses. Where permitted, the cost can be passed to the applicant; otherwise the property owner pays. There are no setup fees, memberships or minimums.