Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2012 · 75 posts · 22 votes
Hello Bigger Pockets,
I need to do a Background Check on someone.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to a company that does Background Checks on individuals in a Simple, Easy to Interpret, Reasonably Priced way?
One other requirement I am looking for is a company that is easy to communicate with. I have dealt with a couple of companies in the past in which it was difficult to get of hold of a person who could explain their process and who could field a few of my questions.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to a company that does Background Checks on individuals in a Simple, Easy to Interpret, Reasonably Priced way?
One other requirement I am looking for is a company that is easy to communicate with. I have dealt with a couple of companies in the past in which it was difficult to get of hold of a person who could explain their process and who could field a few of my questions.
Thank You!
Hi @John Jacobs! I don't have a specific company to recommend, but I'd look for one that provides clear reports, reasonable pricing, and someone you can actually speak with when you have questions. I'd also want to know how they verify their information and handle errors. Are you looking into this for tenant screening or something else?
I'm a real estate attorney and investor based in Maryland, and I work with landlords and property owners on leases, contracts, and other real estate matters. I've seen how important it is to have reliable information and follow the proper screening requirements when making decisions about prospective tenants.
Thanks for bringing this up, @John Jacobs! Finding a company that's easy to work with is just as important as getting the report itself. Happy to stay connected!
"Background check" is quite broad. What exactly are you looking for? Credit history? Employment history? Court records?
Court records alone are often complicated, between Family Court, Bankruptcy Court, Civil Court, Criminal Court, Traffic Court, Small Claims/Landlord Tenant Court, and others depending on jurisdiction. Judgments, Tax Liens, and licensing "stoppers" might be found elsewhere. There are also sex offender registries, and the OFAC sanctions list of blocked and sanctioned Nationals.
Credit reports vary based on chosen plan options, and source. The Big Three are, IMHO, the most accurate and complete, but are not easily available for shoestring businesses. They primarily include actual financial data, but also some judgments, liens, eviction, employment, and prior addresses/other names associated. Unfortunately, if you solely, or largely, depend on the "score" these reports attribute, you will miss out on a lot of very good prospective tenants. These scores are typically modeled for the mortgage industry, where lenders have far more security, and require much longer term stability, than an average rental prospect should need to provide a LL for a year or three.
All of this is to say you need to pull info from multiple sources, establish your own criteria, and study the facts for each applicant to arrive at the best decision for your particular need and risk tolerance.