Access Tenant Screening Details

Letting out your prized property on rent can be a risky venture. There is a distinct possibility of being ignorant of the true nature of your tenant which puts you at a disadvantage. It is therefore wise to conduct a discrete Tenant Screening well in advance. Criminals as well as tenants who pose a risk of being defaulters can be safely avoided by means of a background check as well.

Conducting a background check or a financial credibility check is often done without informing the prospective tenant. This type of discrete checking can be termed as a Non FCRA check and comes under the Freedom of Information Act. This means that you can not take any action against your tenant on basis of the information retrieved by means of a search conducted without the knowledge of the concerned individual. You are free to take personal decisions based on the results of such a background check. This will also help you protect both yourself as well as your property from damages. It is best to go over the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act online ( http://www.justice.gov/oip/ )once you decide to delve into the background of your tenant as a precautionary measure.

Bankruptcy Record Check

Searching for a bankruptcy record in the name of your tenant may help you to ascertain the financial position of your tenant. It will be a good idea to access the PACER at http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/ by registering yourself online. This will help you to obtain specific information on the bankruptcy details of your tenant. You need to remember that discrimination on basis of a bankruptcy record is not considered to be legal in the United States of America. Prior records of eviction on basis of defaulting on the rent or damage to property also need to be checked thoroughly before leasing out your house.

Criminal Records

Requesting for arrest records at your local law enforcement agency is the best way of ensuring that your tenant is not wanted by the police or has not served jail time after being convicted on criminal charges. Going through court room records will also help you recover sufficient information about the criminal conviction of your tenant. Traffic offenses particularly cases of drunk driving can be cross checked by requesting a copy of the driving record from the Motor Vehicles Department of your area. Instances of white collar crimes or a history of fraudulent past can be retrieved by accessing the official resource of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at http://www.bop.gov/inmate_locator/aboutInmateLocator.jsp .

Sex Offender Registry

Almost all states provide free information of the sex offenders as well as the predators residing within the boundaries of the concerned. It is also possible to find out all relevant information by getting in touch with the sheriff’s department or prison authorities if you are unable to access the information from the Internet.

Terrorist Search

Office of Foreign Assets Control imposes economic sanctions on individuals or groups of people known to be terrorists or drug traffickers. Searching for an OFAC alert on the credit report of your tenant might enable you to change your mind about letting out your house. You can also approach the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) via another relevant screening agency in order to receive the necessary information if you suspect your tenant to be engaged in terrorist activities. Details of the process can be obtained from the website of the FBI at http://www.fbi.gov/terrorinfo/counterrorism/redress.htm