Index of Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a criminal background check?

Should I perform a criminal background check?

Can I charge extra fees for the background and credit checks?

What should I do with the prospective tenant's credit report once I have approved or denied him or her?

The credit report I receive on an applicant has negative information, and I choose not to rent to him or her, what do I do?

An applicant that I have denied wants to know what is reported on his or her credit report and disagrees with it, what can I do?

Do I need to give the applicant a copy of his or her credit report?

How long does it take to get a credit report?

How long does it take to get an account?

Why do I have to have a site inspection?

Help! I've lost my membership number/password. What do I do?

I didn't get my credit report results. What do I do?

I accidentally entered someone in twice. Do I have to pay twice?

Can I run a report on me or my friends?

What does "no record found" mean?

I get a security warning when I click to login or signup

If you have any further questions, call us! We'll be happy to help you. Our customer service department may be reached at 1-800-446-1421, Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

Why do I need a credit report?

A credit report can help a property owner or landlord to make an informed rental decision. With the use of a credit report, a property owner or landlord can easily determine a prospective tenant's payment history and if that applicant has the means to afford the rental space.

Why do I need a criminal background check?

While a credit report will give a property owner or landlord a good look at his or her prospective tenant's financial history, it says little about the applicant's background. A criminal background check will give a property owner or landlord more information to assess an applicant's compatibility, and determine whether or not the prospective tenant will be a safe addition to his or her rental community. We recommend that landlords and property managers take advantage of this service to access information that will help better understand their prospective tenant and whether or not the tenant will be a good, and safe, match.

Should I perform a criminal background check?

In addition to having a desire to protect your residents and avoid liability, a number of other facts should be considered in deciding whether to add a criminal background check to a screening practice. Fair housing laws require that any screening criteria be applied consistently. This means that a criminal background check must be performed on all applicants equally.

What do I need to get a credit report?

Credentialed clients provide at least the prospective tenant's name, social security number, and a current address. The more identifying information you provide, the more detailed the report. For example, if you provide driver's license information, we will include a bad check search. For a criminal background report, we require the person's date of birth.

Why can't you e-mail the results to me?

We take our responsibility for safeguarding sensitive information seriously. We follow federal laws and industry standards to protect you and your prospective tenants.

Can I charge extra fees for the background and credit checks?

California Civil Code section 1950.6 limits the fee owners may charge a prospective tenant to cover the costs of screenings. The fee cannot be more than the actual out-of-pocket costs of gathering information on the applicant. As of January 2007*, in California, the maximum fee a landlord may charge a prospective tenant for any screenings is $37.68. The cost of both a credit check and a criminal background check will, however, likely exceed the maximum fee allowed by law. The fees in your state may differ, please check with your local laws and regulations.

*Allowable cost is adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

What should I do with the prospective tenant's credit report once I have approved or denied him or her?

The simple answer is, "Destroy it." Effective June 1, 2005, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) calls for the proper disposal of information in consumer reports and records to protect against "unauthorized access to or use of the information."

The standard for the proper disposal of information derived from a consumer credit report is flexible, and allows the organizations and individuals covered by the Rule to determine what measures are reasonable based on the sensitivity of the information, the costs and benefits of different disposal methods, and changes in technology.

The Rule requires disposal practices that are reasonable and appropriate to prevent the unauthorized access to - or use of - information in a consumer report. For example, reasonable measures for disposing of consumer report information could include establishing and complying with policies to: burn, pulverize, or shred papers containing consumer report information so that the information cannot be read or reconstructed; destroy or erase electronic files or media containing consumer report information so that the information cannot be read or reconstructed; or conduct due diligence and hire a document destruction contractor to dispose of material specifically identified as consumer report information.

In other words, you may destroy the documents however you see fit, as long as they cannot be reconstructed.

The credit report I receive on an applicant has negative information, and I choose not to rent to him or her, what do I do?

You will need to send or give the applicant a Denial Notice and keep a copy in your file to document why you are denying the applicant. This is extremely important for full compliance with fair housing laws. Also, according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are required to notify a denied applicant in writing.

An applicant that I have denied wants to know what is reported on his or her credit report and disagrees with it, what can I do?

A denied applicant may, within 60 days of the date of the report, request a copy of the credit report. Where to request the report should be on the Denial Notice you give.

Do I need to give the applicant a copy of his or her credit report?

Pursuant to California Civil Code 1950.6(f), if the applicant has paid an application-screening fee and requested it, you or your agent must provide a copy of the credit report to him or her.

How long does it take to get a credit report?

In order to receive a credit report, you must first establish an account with us. After you have an account, credit report requests made online will normally be faxed back within a few minutes. If you don't own a fax machine, we can also call you with the credit report results and mail you a copy through the post office.

How long does it take to get an account?

The average time to set up an account is 4 to 5 business days. In order to set up an account, you must read through, fill out and return our Service Agreement packet with all the requested information. Once we receive your packet, we will schedule your site inspection. After we have received the results of your site inspection, your account will be activated and you will receive your account number and password.

Why do I have to have a site inspection?

Because of rising concerns regarding identity theft and the security of personal information, we required by the credit bureaus to perform a site inspection for all clients to insure the sensitive information we are giving out is for legitimate purposes and is properly safeguarded. We know that you want us to protect your privacy and sensitive information as well.

Help! I've lost my membership number/password. What do I do?

Call us at 1-800-446-1421 and we will gladly assist you.

I didn't get my credit report results. What do I do?

If you have requested a credit report and have not received it in a timely manner, please call us at 1-800-446-1421 and we will get that report to you. Please, do not re-enter the request. You may end up with two credit reports and two charges. In addition, the applicant will have two credit report requests on his or her report.

I accidentally entered someone in twice. Do I have to pay twice?

If you have entered someone in twice and the information is exactly the same, you will not be charged for the second entry. If you've submitted a request then noticed that you've given us the wrong information, do not re-submit or you will be charged twice. Call us at 1-800-446-1421. We will gladly assist you.

Can I run a report on me or my friends?

Our clients are not permitted, under the terms of the service agreement and our agreement with the credit bureaus, to run a credit report for any reason other than tenant screening or employment screening.

What does "no record found" mean?

If a credit report comes back with "no record found," it may mean one of several things. A typographical error will often result in "no record found". It is important to double-check the information before you send it to us. Another reason for "no record found" is that the applicant may have no established credit of any kind. If the applicant recently turned 18 or is a recent immigrant, for instance, he or she is likely to have no established credit record.

I get a security warning when I click to login or signup

When you go to a web site, like your bank, for instance, using the "https://" protocol, your web browser starts a process of verifying the website you are trying to visit. If the site is verified, encryption codes are passed between the server and the browser for secure data exchange. CreditLink_® Corporation has "Server Certificates" issued by CAcert.org. Your browser may not know about the CAcert.org certificate authority. We recommend that you install the CAcert.org root certificate in your browser.

If you use Internet Explorer 5.x, 6.x, or 7.x, you can install the root certificate by visiting CAcert.org and following the "Root Certificate" link on the right. At the top of that page is a link to install on Internet Explorer 5.x and 6.x. It will also install on 7.x.

Other browsers, such as FireFox, include CAcert.org's root certificate.