Buffalo, NY · Member since 2013 · 106 posts · 75 votes
12y
I'm surprised there are no reviews here either! I'm the owner of RentPrep and longtime member of BP, as well as a landlord. RentPrep has been around since 2007 and is unique in the tenant screening industry because we are a real screening company with FCRA Certified Screeners. When most reports provide instant info straight from a single database, we create each report by hand - researching multiple record sources. Because of this our reports are more comprehensive and contain the eviction and criminal records that are misfiled and never make it into the databases.
And of course feel free to reach out to me directly through BP, I'm happy to help however I can. Much like BP, we exist solely for the purpose of helping landlords and investors.
Their are two companies currently doing it. I know it would probably be a large expense for your company to take on but I personally would pay extra for the info.
We actually use TransUnion and CoreLogic as some of our data providers so we could actually provide these searches. I put a call in to our Reps to see what's entailed. I actually like the idea that they're getting the data from the courts and not from participating landlords. Programs that blacklist tenants based on landlord's sharing information always seems like a great idea but the data is just not there until you have huge buy-in from many landlords. But in this case, the records are still coming from the courts so it's more reliable. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention, we'll take a look and see if something worth adding to our reports.
New York City, NY · Member since 2013 · 105 posts · 16 votes
12y
I personally don't have any experience with RentPrep, but of all of the tenant screening services I've used http://www.myrental.com has been my personal favorite. If you're looking for any recommendations, you might want to give them a try.
I just used RentPrep for the first time and am very happy with your product! I was given all the information that I needed, and it only took a few minutes to receive the reports. Thanks! By the way, I'm a CNY native and Bills die hard, so... Go Bills!
Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 1 post · 0 votes
12y
Hi there
i searching a good screening tool ... i saw some reviews on flipkey website about rentprep. after checking the web a little bit i want to know what i do with tenant that have only passport and dont have ssn is it possible to run a check ( i dont mind if not all the features will apear but i need to supply the complexes a document that i did run a background check )
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2013 · 106 posts · 75 votes
11y
@Yan Hazan it is possible to perform a background check without the SSN. Since we do all of our screenings by hand (vs. an instant report) the Screener will be able to search for records based on name and/or address. Obviously credit related items will be non-existent without the SSN, but evictions, criminal records, address history and judgments all have the possibility of showing up.
Your only alternative in this type of scenario is to perform the background check in the home country of the applicant. This however is not standard practice for tenant screening as it is for employment screening for no reason other than cost. Since each country charges their own unique "access fee" the cost can vary from $50-$500 in countries like India. Because of this, landlords typically only run US based searches.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any further questions.
Clackamas, OR · Member since 2014 · 1 post · 1 vote
11y
I used RentPrep for the first time today.
I can do my own credit checks and background searches, and have done so in the past. But I chose RentPrep because they claim to also check references, by way of an actual person calling and speaking to the referenced person(s), including past rental references.
RentPrep responded very quickly with the background checks and credit check. But they made notations like, "left a message to call back" on the references, and "Warning: search pending" on all of them. I understand that it can be difficult to make contact, and it may take a few attempts to get through on the other end. While it would be terrific to have reached those folks on the first try, I wouldn't expect it.
However, RentPrep marked the report as "complete" in less than one business day, without actually speaking to any of the references my potential tenant listed. This being my first time using RentPrep, I'm not sure what to expect... an updated "completed-completed" report after they do make contact? Or is this the final result?
If you want a fast turnaround on background and credit checks, I think RentPrep will meet your expectations. BUT, if you actually expect them to verify references for you, it might be wise to think twice about paying the extra cost.
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2013 · 106 posts · 75 votes
11y
Rich, on your report, as with all RentPrep reports, at least 3 attempts are made to verify the rental history and employment over a 24 hour period. Our thought is that after 3 messages, the person is either willfully ignoring the message or not getting them. And of course landlords want fast responses so the 24 hour time limit creates urgency for the verifications.
I checked your report and see that we did get in touch with the current landlord to complete the verification and left 3 messages for the previous landlord as well as the employer, with no response. In these cases, simply letting the applicant know "the background check is done, except we haven't heard back from your employer" will typically prompt a response.
Since we give you the data portions of the report first (judgments, evictions, etc.) we mark that portion of the report complete as soon as it is, typically within one hour. But the verifications, as you mention, can take longer as we are at the mercy of those answering the phones. When you wrote this post the verifications had only received one attempt, but the remaining occurred as scheduled the next day.
Feel free to reach out to me directly the next time you have a need for a background check and I'll give you Platinum report upgrade for free to try us again. Rarely do we disappoint in this area so it's important to me that you can see it again knowing what to expect on the verification attempts.
i listen to the podcast. and I'm skeptical about the product. I want to give this a try.
Trying to find a fair price, speedy and ACCURATE background/screening program to help me find some quality tenants for my property. feel free to reach out. I will post my opinion once i've gave it a try.
Rental Property Investor · philadelphia, PA · Member since 2011 · 143 posts · 20 votes
11y
Ok so the service provided from Rentprep.com really lived up to its word. Provided me with great service and thorough background screening! And for a great price, enough for me to up the application fee to where I can get some gas money out of the deal.
The customer service was great, reresponsive and informative. I already reccomended their services to network and would recommend Rentprep to anyone seeking tenant screening services. Feel free to ask me more of my experience.
Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2014 · 7 posts · 2 votes
10y
I've used RentPrep a few times. I don't have any experience with other companies, so I'm not sure my comments will be that useful -nothing to compare it to. However, from the reports I have received, I've chosen an excellent tenant (and believe escaped a nightmare.) on our first unit. The current tenant, screened by RentPrep, is going on two years and nary a problem. The one with the poor RentPrep report; however, I also Googled and, as above -what a nightmare. So, so glad he's not my tenant, but sorry for his previous Landlord, an elderly gentleman who didn't receive rent for five years, and the tenant kept going to court to fight an eviction, brings various lawsuits against him, etc.
I just (today) purchased RentPrep's "Platinum Package" to screen two applicants for our new unit. The charge, which includes a basic credit check, as well as background/criminal/eviction, etc. checks, is about $45 per applicant. So far, so good. Seems like a good deal -easy, not expensive and complete. I hope this is helpful.
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2013 · 106 posts · 75 votes
10y
Good to hear Jerry, thanks for sharing!
And "Consumer Credit Hobbyist" intrigued me so I checked out your website. Awesome side gig! Perfect for landlords who love to organize and track numbers.
And "Consumer Credit Hobbyist" intrigued me so I checked out your website. Awesome side gig! Perfect for landlords who love to organize and track numbers.
Thank you, yes I agree. I've funded a lot of repairs/ upgrades on my rental with credit card bonuses and rewards. Thanks for checking out my forum. Side note: my current (great) tenant was screened by RentPrep too. :)
Chagrin Falls, OH · Member since 2015 · 29 posts · 30 votes
10y
Great thread. I'm just getting started with my first rental and looking for a screening service. I notice that rentprep doesn't include a credit score (or, at least, I didn't see one on the sample report). Have users of rentprep found this piece of data to be less valuable or do you look it up elsewhere? Thanks!
Hi Stephen. RentPrep and Fidelis Screen Solutions are the same company, aren't they? Or maybe two companies owned by the same person?
I'm curious what the differences are between the two services. It looks like Fidelis's Advanced + Credit package is essentially the same as RentPrep's Pro + Credit Add-on, but it's about $8 cheaper with Fidelis.
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2013 · 106 posts · 75 votes
9y
Hey Ben, happy to answer this for you.
RentPrep is the landlord product of Fidelis Screening Solutions. So yes, same company. We use RentPrep to serve landlords and small property management companies and Fidelis for larger property management companies.
This is because the two markets are vastly different in their approach to compliance. For example, large property management companies operate from a commercial space and landlords typically operate from home. This makes a difference in what information you have access to since a site inspection is required for business locations to obtain credit reports at-will. Landlords have a different process that does not require a site inspection.
So if you're a landlord, RentPrep is the appropriate service.
Wesley Chapel, FL · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
9y
I have used RentPrep once in the past. I would say the service was good overall. Having a human element to the screening process is a bit comforting for me as a landlord.
The only drawback of RentPrep is that you have to ask tenants to fill out a paper application, scan it then email it back to you. You will then have to manually enter one or more applications manually. It's a bit cumbersome for the landlord and a hassle for tenants to print/fill-out/scan/email. I know some phone apps can do it, but not everyone is as tech savvy. They entire process needs to be incorporated into the website where all I have to do is enter the tenant's email address, select the product and my work is done. Tenants should pay the product fee that I selected directly into the website. This is also more comforting for tenants who don't like to share their SSN in an email address. Other websites are setup this way but lack the human element.
We've heard feedback like this in the past so that's why we've added the SmartMove to our list of packages. With this product you simply enter the applicants email and they will enter their information and pay for the report.
We've added this product specifically for landlords who want to charge the applicant for the report and streamline the process on the landlord's end.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask... and thank you for the feedback!
Investor · Southfield, MI · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
9y
I'd be cautious about any good reviews from a prior landlord. He/she may be worried about getting sued by the former tenant for giving a bad review and/or may want to be sure the former tenant has a place to go rather than being sued by the former tenant for wrongful eviction. By the same token, I think the most sensible approach for a former landlord is to say it's your policy not to comment on former tenants, good or bad.
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2013 · 106 posts · 75 votes
9y
Yes Lucy, just be sure to select the SmartMove option when placing your order and you'll have the option to have the applicant pay for the report. All you will need is their email address.
Rialto, CA · Member since 2018 · 5 posts · 4 votes
8y
I just used rentprep yesterday, and I am impressed. The site is easy to navigate. Their chat option is nice, as I had a handful of questions, and they quickly responded and helped guide me.
the reports generated appear to be thorough, and i was able to make my decision on an applicant in about 1 hour total. so far, so good. looking forward to using them more.
I really like the fact that you can get in contact with a human in the US relatively quickly (during business hours)