When apartments do credit checks are they soft or hard inquiries?

[Kat Hudson]

I've asked one apartment I'm interested in and they said they didn't know, that they used a program called Resident Check. I know hard inquiries drop your credit score. Do most apartments use third parties to screen applicants?

[Roy N.]

Originally posted by @Rick S.:

@Kat Hudson did the apartment just need your Social Security # to run the credit check?  If so, it is likely a hard inquiry as they are pulling your information.  If you have to go on the Resident Check site and verify your identify to release your information then that would likely be a soft check.  

 Using a social security number (or Social Insurance Number here in Canada) just facilitates finding the correct credit history when the query is run ... its presence does not imply a hard enquiry.