How To Get Cost- & Fraud-Free Tenant Screening

It's summertime and the deadbeats and scam artists are looking for new homes, perhaps something by the beach. Maybe it has something to do with the dog days of summer. (Here's your piece of trivia for the day: that expression derives from the fact that at this time of year the ancient Romans observed the rise of the Dog Star, Sirius.)

So, if you are dogged by the prospect of having to rent a unit, and fearful that some type of con artist will slip into it, have I got a deal for you...free tenant screening for you, both fraud-free and cost-free. Remember, free is good.

As a member of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, you are entitled to use our many services, one of which is tenant screening. Another is free forms. In the case of free tenant screening, the two go together.

Under California state law, a landlord is entitled to charge a prospective renter for the cost of the tenant screening and an administrative fee for your efforts up to, currently, $33 per tenant screening. We also provide the free form to give to the perspective renter. It is called the "Application Screening Fee Agreement," and on the reverse side is the "Receipt for Application Screening Fee."

You are permitted by state law to pass along the actual cost of the tenant screening and a fee for your time. The total cannot exceed $33. The amount is adjusted each year to account for inflation. The cost for the complete and the most safe service, called the "quad" check, is $21.50. That service provides reports from two different credit bureaus, an eviction search, and a "bounced" check search. Once you have a signed application from a prospect, either call or FAX the information to AAGLA. Within a few minutes, the results will be available for your decision.

You can also use AAGLA's direct on-line tenant screening service. The cost for the quad check using AAGLA's on-line service is only $14.50 and, again, the results are available in a very few seconds. To start this online service, call Julie, Anna or Maureen at AAGLA. They will set you up for this convenient and cost-effective service.

We want your tenant screening business…but you must sign-up to go on-line by calling either Julie, Maureen or Anna by using your local AAGLA number. Please make sure you have had your site inspection before requesting this service. Go to the member area and arrange for an appointment.  Julie, Maureen and Anna can also tell you about other equally cost-effective tenant screening services. So sign-up and SAVE.

In another vein, many deadbeat renters attempt to falsify their former addresses in order to hide bad credit, or even worse, past evictions. AAGLA also is about to launch a new screening tool called Previous Address Tenant History (PATH). This new service includes a deep address history search and is based on the social security number provided.

Unlike a credit report, PATH finds former addresses for as far back as 20 years. With this information, not only do you have the historical residency of your applicant, but you will know which states to search for his eviction history. Additionally, since PATH is based on the social security number and not the applicant's name, this search will help protect against fraud when compared with the address history appearing on the application.

PATH will be available August 15, 2006, and will cost $3.50 when included with "quad check" for a total of $25. The on-line version will run $16. Again, don't forget the applicant can pay for all of this and the result is free tenant screening and a small administration fee for you when you use these AAGLA member services. Happy renting.