How to Check Rental History: Everything You Need to Know 

Rental history is Important information that can help you determine if you’re eligible to be approved for an apartment rental. On the landlord side of things, checking someone’s rental history is also important because it will help you determine if a renter is a good fit. For these reasons, learning how to check someone’s rental history is crucial for landlords and tenants who want to sign a lease agreement.

While rental history is important information, finding it isn’t always easy. The good news is that we’re here to help. Read on to learn more about how to check rental history.

What Is Rental History?

Rental history is a collection of records that are compiled into a rental history report. These records provide insight into everything a renter has done in the past. This tends to include previous lease agreements, evictions, and much more. 

The purpose of checking someone’s rental history is to determine if they’re eligible to rent a property from someone. People who have a poor history with rentals, for example, won’t be able to be approved for a lease.

How to Check Rental History

Checking rental history has never been easier. While you used to have to visit several offices and source records from different databases, online search tools have made the process a breeze. Discover the best ways to check rental history below.

1. UnMask 

When it comes to finding any public records, UnMask is always the best option. The platform offers a comprehensive public records search tool that enables you to find all available public records associated with someone. This includes rental history, criminal records, financial records, and much more. Therefore, not only can you find someone’s rental history, but you can also run a full, comprehensive background check on a potential tenant.

UnMask is also great for tenants who want to evaluate their eligibility before starting the process. This is because it will help you check your credit report, and you can even find inconsistencies within your records and have them fixed before you apply. UnMask is also a great option because you can always count on the records being accurate and up-to-date. Plus, the platform will notify you if anything changes. 

Getting started is also easy. All you need is a first and last name, address, or even a phone number. This is great because you can find the rental history for a building even if you don’t know who lives there.

2. Credit Checks 

Another way to find rental history is to check someone’s credit report. Someone’s credit report will contain their credit score and additional information about their history with rentals. For example, if someone was evicted, it’ll be available in their credit report. Lease agreements, loans, and other information are also available through a credit check, so it helps you determine someone’s creditworthiness.

When running a credit check, make sure you check with all of the major credit bureaus for the best results. The three major bureaus to check include TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. If you fail to check with all three, you may end up missing something.

3. Court Records 

When a tenant is going through the screening process, credit history is important, but it’s only one piece of the rental history pie. For this reason, it’s not a bad idea to pull someone’s court records. You can do this with help from a background check company or even visit a local courthouse. 

We only recommend going this route if you know that a tenant has a history of breaching contracts, bailing on leases, or evictions. This is because pulling civil and criminal records will give you a better idea of someone’s rental history than just a credit score number.

While sourcing court records is effective, you’re better off using a tool like UnMask as it provides you with all the information you need in one convenient location.

How to Check Rental History: Our Final Thoughts 

Learning how to check rental history is important for tenants and landlords before entering into any type of lease agreement. After all, you always want to know more about someone you plan on doing business with. 

The good news is that tools like UnMask make finding someone’s rental history a breeze. What’s more, plenty of other options are available, like credit checks and court records, to help you dig even deeper.