The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Real Estate and Landlording => Topic started by: carloco on August 29, 2017, 09:57:44 AM
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I'm trying to rent out the lower level in my house. I asked the applicants to fill out transunion's application. One person is hesitant because they feel it asks for too much info. Has anyone run into this problem. Are there ways around it. Transunion renter screening does a credit and background check. I will receive any evictions, credit problems, and criminal convictions. I Don't See any of the information. SS numbers etc is kept private. They don't have any problem paying for it. But one person feels that it exposes them to identity theft. They are two cousins that are electricians. They seem oK.
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If you explained to them that their information is private and you are not able to access any of it then they still hesitate...tell them that their application is rejected for insufficient information and good luck in their housing search. There will be a better applicant along soon.
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Not a landlord, but as a tenant, I would just be concerned that you directly are getting that information (social security, etc). Try explaining to them what TransUnion is. Maybe they don't know.
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If the form requests their SIN, they are right to be wary of that. Landlords aren't supposed to get info like that, and whenever a landlord has asked me for my SIN I've asked if there's an alternative or I let that apartment go. If you can confirm that their info will be private and that there's no way you can see it, maybe they'll change their mind. If they are saying no because they have something to hide, then you dodged a bullet and you'll have to find someone else.
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Not a landlord, but as a tenant, I would just be concerned that you directly are getting that information (social security, etc). Try explaining to them what TransUnion is. Maybe they don't know.
To be honest, I don't know how much info transunion asks. I do not get to see the info they provided. I only see any criminal convictions, collections, evictions, number of accounts in good standing, etc. I don't see their salary. But transunion uses that info to make a guess about their ability to pay. The first couple did not hesitate to fill the application. The girl was too young and her dad filled out as a cosigner. Her boyfriend had bad credit for late child support. I didn't have a problem with them. She was recommended because of her dad's high income and he was recommended with a warning.
I then had another applicant recently that was offended about the amount of info asked by transunion. I did not have a good feeling about her anyway. She asked if she could pay every two weeks. She didn't want to have the money in her bank account that long. There were other statements that made me a little anxious. I passed on her.
These latest applicant are a pair of cousins. They are both electricians. They seem to be OK. My son's mother met them and she felt OK as well. Since we are going to be sharing a house I don't know any other way to check their criminal background. The good thing about going through transunion is that I don't see any of the sensitive info. I told them that I can show them a previous report. that way they can see that no info is filtered down to me. transunion checks their identity, credit and criminal background.
I work 24 hour shifts and they will be in the lower level while my son and his mom will be upstairs. I don't want some shady character to move and be a problem.
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They didn't reply. I suppose I dodged one.