Tenant screening is an important tool used by landlords and property managers in vetting potential renters, and a wide variety of public records including sex offender, consumer credit, and eviction reports are often utilized. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com comments: “Recently the Legislation in Washington State moved to reform housing policy, including a universal background screening form, and this further indicates the continual change in the laws and legislation governing tenant screening.”
Tenant screening is a critical tool in vetting potential tenants used by landlords and property managers. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com states: “In Washington State there is legislative action working toward a universal renter application as well as a move to highly define how evictions and potential evictions are noted. This action could be a potential first step toward broader changes across the country regarding tenant screening.”
Laws and legislation governing tenant screening and the documents utilized in that process change on a continual basis. Every year cities, states, and, on occasion, the federal government attempt to further define and stratify the legal use of public records and related data used for a tenant background check.
On a federal level the Department of Housing and Urban Development remains the legal arm regulating tenant screening as it relates to public housing specific and private housing in general. Recent actions by HUD have eliminated the use of criminal records, sometimes refered to as criminal histories, as a part of the vetting process for public housing. Actions such as these enacted by HUD often times migrate into the private section.
One need only look at the actions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and their actions related to the use of criminal histories as part of the pre-employment screening process. These may be seen as the precursor of actions by HUD.
At the state level Washington State’s legislative body is attempting to affect housing policy in a positive manner.
From CrossCut.com (Feb. 05, 16):
Loosely, the bills focus on three main areas: designating a universal renters’ screening form; setting up tax incentives for affordable housing; and adding an option for cities to use land seized for nonpayment of taxes to build affordable housing units. The background check would potentially save apartment-hunters hundreds of dollars by designating a single, universal background screening form that landlords could choose to accept. The tax credits would let nonprofits and housing developers claim different property tax exemptions when they used property for affordable housing, or included affordable units in developments. (1)
Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com comments: “The idea of a universal rental form is unique in the Washington State proposal. By all appearances it is an attempt from a higher governmental level to create a simpler process for the applicant. For the landlords there may be the opportunity for more applicants.”
Any action by governmental body is one that should be carefully considered and reviewed.
Almeida states: “Actions by the state also a greater interest in the tenant screening process. Combined with the federal activities by HUD one gets the sense that change will continue to affect the tenant screening process. Just as change continues with pre-employment screening change remains inevitability with tenant screening.”
The Washington legislative action is evidence of continued change with tenant screening.
From CrossCut.com (Feb. 05, 16):
In full, the bill defines what the universal screening form would consist of, and requires all landlords to notify prospective tenants of whether they accept it. The bill also includes what had been a separate proposal in previous years: allowing courts to keep reporting agencies from disclosing evictions that were never completed or found to be unsubstantiated or without cause. (2)
Almeida comments: “The change in reporting evictions may be key to the Washington legislation. And, one must note, that with continuous change there is a greater need to work with a third-party tenant screening company.”
TenantScreeningUSA.com is a third-party tenant screening company specializing in tenant checks for small to medium sized properties. Staffed with highly trained operators, TenantScreeningUSA.com has the ability to create custom screening packages for landlords and property managers.
Notes:
(1) crosscut.com/2016/02/legislature-may-make-reforms-in-housing-law/
(2) crosscut.com/2016/02/legislature-may-make-reforms-in-housing-law/
