RentPrep Tenant Screening Service Review 2024
With the help of our in-house editorial team, our platform’s members and external subject matter experts, this comprehensive review of RentPrep tenant screening software became possible and available for free to those considering this solution!
In this review we evaluated RentPrep’s features, plans, pricing and other important aspects to help our readers make a more educated purchase decision.
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What Is RentPrep?
RentPrep is a web-based tenant screening platform that provides landlords and property managers with comprehensive background information on rental applicants.
The platform offers a variety of applicant data, including full credit reports, criminal background, and eviction history, among other details that help landlords make more informed decisions when choosing between potential tenants.
Across the internet, users have praised RentPrep for its ease of use, accurate reports, and excellent customer support.
What Is RentPrep Used For?
RentPrep is a real estate solution that only offers background checks and tenant screening services.
While the platform’s functionality may seem limited, RentPrep provides landlords with numerous key reports.
- Credit checks — Landlords and property managers can set a credit check criteria by selecting a minimum FICO score. Applicants will be marked as Pass or Fail based on their actual credit score rating.
- Bankruptcies search — RentPrep’s in-house screeners search nationwide databases and provide you with all reportable bankruptcies on your applicants.
- Credit reports — Thanks to a partnership with TransUnion, landlords can request full credit reports from rental applicants.
- Income verification — This service lets applicants connect their bank accounts to generate an annual net income summary which they can send to landlords. There is no limit to the number of accounts an applicant can add.
- Judgment and lien reports — Since civil judgments and tax liens were removed from credit reports in 2017, RentPrep’s in-house screeners will manually run judgment and lien searches and include the results in your full credit report.
- Nationwide criminal and sex offender search — The platform searches through available nationwide criminal and sex offender records so you can know whether an applicant has been convicted of a crime or is a sex offender.
- Application questions guide — RentPrep provides users with 20 questions to ask potential renters either via call or email (Google forms). The questions cover a range of topics and help you determine whether an applicant meets your initial criteria for screening.
RentPrep Users Breakdown by Specialty
Is RentPrep Legit?
Yes. RentPrep is a legitimate and well-known tenant screening platform that has been in service for more than two decades now.
Within this time, the company has grown quite popular in the real estate industry, with a particularly large community of more than 13,000 landlords, investors, and property managers on Facebook alone.
Besides Facebook, the company also has strong and active accounts on Instagram and YouTube where users can find numerous expert guides on managing rental properties.
When it comes to data security, RentPrep keeps all user data safe by using SSL-secured forms to collect data.
The company also doesn’t store your private information (Social Security numbers, credit card info, financials, etc.) after a transaction.
In 2022, RentPrep was featured on PR Newswire after being acquired by Roofstock, America’s leading digital platform for buying, selling, and managing SFR (single-family rental) properties.
The platform is also the official tenant screening provider for the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, further proving that RentPrep is not a scam.
RentPrep Customer Reviews
RentPrep Pricing
RentPrep is not a subscription-based service; users only pay for the reports they order on the platform. This means users can open a RentPrep account for free and start using the platform.
There are currently three tenant screening packages that RentPrep provides:
- TransUnion Full Credit Report
- RentPrep Background Check
- Enterprise
TransUnion Full Credit Report
Landlords and managers can purchase TransUnion screening reports starting from $40 per report. The fee can be paid by either the landlord or the prospective tenant.
The comprehensive report provides the following information on rental applicants:
- Full credit report with ResidentScore
- SSN Verification and Address History
- Rental Background Check which includes Nationwide Criminal and Sex Offender Search, bankruptcies, and nationwide evictions
- Applicant Pay Option
For a more detailed analysis of your potential renters, you can include the following RentPrep rental application add-ons to this package:
- Income Verification for $10 — This add-on allows landlords and property managers to collect applicants’ income information, including their average net monthly income, current bank balance, and deposit history over the past 12 months, among other details.
- Judgment and Lien Search for $7 — If you include this add-on, an in-house screener will manually run a judgment and liens search and include any found records to your TransUnion Full Credit Report.
RentPrep Background Check
The RentPrep Background Check report is created and validated by the company’s in-house screening professionals, all certified by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
The report starts from $21 and provides the following information:
- SSN Validation
- Nationwide Evictions
- Bankruptcies
- Judgment and Lien Search
- A pass or fail mark based on a credit standard you select
- Credit Score Range, but not the exact FICO score
RentPrep also includes the following add-ons for more comprehensive info about your applicants:
- Nationwide Criminal and Sex Offender Search for $6
- Income Verification for $10
- Credit Decision Report for $11 that provides a pass/fail decision based on a credit standard you select and the credit score range (but not the exact FICO score)
Enterprise
The Enterprise plan is designed for landlords with 50 or more units in their portfolios. Here, landlords select the report data they need and work with the company to come up with a tailored pricing plan.
The following are the features of the Enterprise package:
- Custom product configuration
- Discounted pricing
- Dedicated company rep
RentPrep Coupon & Promo Codes
RentPrep Features
This property management software for landlords is equipped with several tenant screening features which work together seamlessly to help landlords vet applicants and choose the right candidates.
The following are the platform’s main features.
Pre-Screening Survey
Before you can start screening applicants, you should conduct a screening exercise to weed out bad candidates.
By using RentPrep, landlords and property managers have access to 20 pre-screening questions that are designed to identify candidates that meet the landlord’s criteria.
You can find out basic yet important information about the applicants such as:
- What they’re looking for in a new place
- The date they would like to move in
- Current occupation
- Their pet situation
- Number of people that would be moving in
- Whether they smoke
- Current income
- Number of parking spaces they would require
Based on the responses you receive, you will be able to identify candidates that are the right match.
Applicants will also be able to discover features about the property that don’t suit their needs, causing them to stop pursuing the property. Overall, you’ll be left with truly qualified applicants.
TransUnion Full Credit Report
Thanks to a partnership with TransUnion, RentPrep allows landlords and property managers to request comprehensive credit reports from applicants.
Once you log in and make an order for the TransUnion credit report, you will be prompted to enter the applicant’s email. The report will be instantly sent to the candidate for completion.
The comprehensive report collects the following information from the rental applicant:
- Full credit report with ResidentScore
- SSN Verification and Address History
- Nationwide Criminal and Sex Offender Search
- Bankruptcies
- Nationwide Evictions
- Applicant Pay Option
- Judgment and Lien Search (add-on)
- Income Verification (add-on)
Judgment and Lien Search
For an additional fee, you can add the judgment and lien search to your TransUnion credit report.
When you do this, RentPrep’s professional screeners will manually run judgment and lien searches and include the results in the TransUnion credit report.
By conducting this search, you will be able to find out whether an applicant has a lawsuit or lien against them on their current or previous rental property.
Income Verification
In addition to the Judgment and Lien Search, users can also include Income Verification in their TransUnion Credit Report.
This add-on provides landlords and property managers with applicants’ income information. On the other end, applicants are able to add their bank accounts (unlimited) to generate the report.
You will be able to view the following applicant information:
- The average net income (monthly as well as 3, 6, and 9-month average)
- Total non-recurring income (up to 12 months back)
- Deposit history (up to 12 months back)
- Average account balance
- Current balances on connected accounts
RentPrep Credit Check
This software tool for real estate investors has its own tenant credit check known as the Credit Decision Report, powered by TransUnion.
In the module, landlords select a star rating (0 through 5) that acts as the criteria that the applicant must pass. Each rating is matched to a FICO score.
Once an applicant completes the report, they will be ranked based on their FICO (credit) score.
Candidates whose scores are above your selected rating will be marked as PASS and those below will be marked as FAIL.
Note that you will not see the actual credit score with RentPrep’s Credit Decision Report as you would with the TransUnion Full Credit Report.
Still, you will see a range that gives you an approximation of their score. You’ll also be provided with a list of codes that indicate why failed candidates did not meet the criteria you selected.
Integration API
RentPrep provides two API services to help users integrate their RentPrep landlord accounts with other sites.
- RentPrep API — This lets landlords create hand-compiled tenant background checks.
- TransUnion API — This allows the landlord or property manager to see their applicant’s full credit report and integrate it with WordPress and other sites.
RentPrep Pros and Cons
Pros
- Unlike other tenant screening solutions, RentPrep enables users to conduct judgment and lien searches.
- FCRA-certified screeners conduct RentPrep’s background checks to provide efficient and accurate reports.
- The platform provides users and prospective customers with free sample reports so they know what they get before paying for a report.
- Landlords have the option of letting the applicant pay the TransUnion Full Credit Report.
- Background checks are fairly priced. There are also discounts offered for owners with 50 or more units in their portfolio.
- Landlords and property managers can customize each report based on their needs.
Cons
- In-depth information on the candidate’s financials has to be purchased separately by the landlord.
- The platform does not offer residence or employer verification.
- The basic plan does not include Income Verification, which is an important feature in tenant screening.
RentPrep Integrations
RentPrep Alternatives
- Avail
- Baselane
- RentSpree
- TenantCloud
- RentRedi
- TurboTenant
- DoorLoop
- Stessa
- Buildium
- Innago
- Landlord Studio
- Hostfully
- Hostify
- Azibo
- Rent Manager
- LeaseHawk
- MyRental
- Rentec Direct
- LeaseRunner
- Zillow Tenant Screening
- First Advantage
- SmartMove
- E-Renter
RentPrep Achievements
Awards & Recognition
Best Tenant Screening Tool for Landlords (Awarded by Real Estate Bees)
Press & Media
RentPrep FAQs
Does RentPrep have a free trial?
No, and this is because RentPrep is not a subscription-based service. Customers only pay for the tenant screening reports they order from the platform.
How many clients does RentPrep serve?
The platform has served over 150,000 landlords and has been used to perform more than 2 million tenant screenings since it was launched.
Who founded RentPrep?
RentPrep was started in 2007 by Stephen Michael White, a veteran entrepreneur with robust experience in real estate and brand marketing.
Stephen Michael White also serves as the company’s CEO.
What is RentPrep’s customer service number?
Customers and prospective clients can contact RentPrep via two customer service lines: (888) 877-8501 and (888) 887-1491.
You can also reach out to the company via email by sending your inquiries to [email protected] or through the Contact Us page
What is the RentPrep cancellation and refund policy?
Users can terminate their RentPrep accounts at any time by sending a written request to the company.
RentPrep also has the right to terminate its relationship with customers who violate the company’s terms
There is no information on the company’s refund policy.
RentPrep Tutorials & Training
RentPrep Tenant Screening: Everything You Need to Know
RentPrep – Tenant Screening Made Easy
Is RentPrep Worth It?
Yes. RentPrep is a full-featured tenant screening solution for local and long distance property management that can significantly assist you in finding the best quality tenants.
By using the platform, users can find out applicants’ credit, criminal, financial, and eviction history with just a few steps. Furthermore, the reports are highly accurate and reliable.
The platform has been lauded by users for its easy account setup, ease of placing orders, and reports that can be tailored to your needs.
Overall, RentPrep is an excellent tool for landlords, property managers, and investors seeking cost-effective and customizable background checks.
RentPrep Contacts
- Website: Official website
- Phone: (888) 877-8501; (888) 887-1491
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 1821 Como Park Blvd Lancaster, NY 14086
- Socials: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter
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About the Author:
With over 20+ years of experience in real estate investment and renovation, Brian Robbins brings extensive knowledge and innovative solutions to the HouseCashin team. Over the years Brian has been involved in over 300 transactions of income producing properties across the US. Along with his passion for real estate, Brian brings with him a deep understanding of real estate risks and financing.