If you have a criminal record, you’re probably aware that landlords are well able to dig up dirt on you. You will likely encounter difficulties finding a top-tier home, because of how easily accessible court records are to anyone who’s willing to take the time to look. What you might not know is the extent to which landlords factor this information when making decisions.
According to a 2017 TransUnion survey which included 669 landlords across the US, 90% of the landlords say they run credit checks and criminal background checks on applicants. Additionally, 85% said they run eviction reports on applicants. The survey found that these are the top five factors landlords consider in tenant screening:
- Income/Employment History
- Eviction History
- Criminal Background
- Credit History
- References
It may seem ludicrous that criminal background information is more important to them then references from actual human beings who personally know you. But in this survey, out of the seven biggest concerns involving renters, the highest concern was labeled simply as “troublesome tenants.” When asked how many properties they manage, the highest percentage of landlords stated they manage more than 10 properties, so many simply don’t have the time or the ability to get to know who you truly are as a person. They’ll judge you on impersonal court records because it’s the safest course for them to protect their assets.
96% of these landlords agreed that tenant screening is beneficial in order to find the types of tenants they want living in their homes. 82% expect their use of technology services to screen tenants will increase as they continue working. In short: If you have a criminal record, it’s likely that the landlord of your dream house or apartment will find it. It’s also likely they’ll offer the lease to someone who doesn’t have any criminal history.
Don’t let an old or bogus charge stop you from putting a roof over your head. Get in touch with Easy Expunctions to see if there’s something we can scrub from your record—we’ll get you started with a background check and work to identify qualifying charges that you can kiss goodbye.
