Applying for a rental should be straightforward. But for many tenants, errors in their rental background check make it anything but.
The truth is, tenant background check errors impact far more renters than most assume, and they can result in lost housing opportunities, financial hardship, a tarnished reputation, and unnecessary stress.
Landlords and property managers rely heavily on screening reports from third-party background check companies to make fast decisions about applicants. By law, these reports should reflect an accurate history of your credit, rental behavior, and any relevant criminal activity. But when the reports contain inaccurate, outdated, or completely false information, the consequences are serious.
Here are the top five tenant background check errors that can lead to a shocking denial. Learn how to fix them, enforce your legal rights, and fight for compensation.
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1. Mixed Files – Someone Else’s Record Becomes Your Problem
One of the most frustrating and damaging tenant background check errors is the mixed file. This occurs when a background check company merges your personal information with someone else’s, typically someone with a similar name or Social Security number. This can result in your tenant screening report showing evictions, criminal records, or credit issues that don’t belong to you.
Mixed files are especially common when screening agencies don’t use strict matching criteria. Some companies rely only on partial matches, which can easily lead to false positives. The result? You get denied housing because your report mistakenly says you’re a sex offender or that you’ve been evicted multiple times.
Did you know? There are a LOT of companies that run tenant screening reports, including TransUnion SmartMove, CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions, RentGrow, SafeRent Solutions, Avail, TurboTenant, AppFolio, RentPrep, Zillow (backed by Experian), and more.
2. Outdated Information That Should Have Been Removed
Another common source of tenant background check errors is outdated or incorrect information that stays on your report far longer than it should. This includes paid-off debts, resolved evictions, or old criminal records that are legally supposed to be sealed or expunged.
Federal law, through the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), limits how long certain negative items can stay on your record. For example, most civil judgments, evictions, and collection accounts must be removed after seven years. Criminal records that were expunged or sealed should not appear at all.
Unfortunately, not all background check companies stay current with court record updates. Even big names like SmartMove by TransUnion or Experian RentBureau have made this mistake. The outdated data continues to show up in rental background check reports, giving landlords a false impression of who you are.
To avoid this, request a copy of your tenant screening report and compare it to your own records. If anything looks outdated or inaccurate, contact the background check company and request a correction.
3. Incomplete or Misreported Criminal History
Background check errors involving criminal records are some of the most harmful, especially when they misrepresent the severity of an offense or report something that never happened. These mistakes can occur in several ways.
Sometimes, the background check only includes an arrest and not the outcome. For example, if charges were dropped or you were found not guilty, the outcomes puts the arrest in a totally different light. In other cases, the record may list a conviction incorrectly, exaggerating a misdemeanor into a felony. Worse still, some people find criminal records on their report that don’t belong to them at all- often because of poor matching practices.
This is a serious issue not only because it affects your rental application, but because it can lead to a landlord assuming you’re a threat to other tenants. Some background check companies may even wrongly list your name in connection with sex offender registries due to outdated or mis-linked data.
If you find this kind of mistake on your report, you have the right to dispute it and request a correction. This process should follow FCRA guidelines, giving the company 30 days to investigate and correct the issue. Always request copies of your criminal history from the same agencies your landlord uses so you can review them before applying.
4. Errors in Credit Reports That Paint an Unfair Financial Picture
Most tenant screening reports include a summary of your credit history, often pulled from major credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. Unfortunately, this is another area where errors are common and potentially devastating.
Typical credit report errors that impact renters include
- Incorrect payment history
- Closed accounts showing as open
- Duplicate accounts
- Accounts that don’t belong to you
- Outdated balances
- Discharged debts from bankruptcy still showing as active
These mistakes can significantly lower your credit score, causing landlords to view you as financially risky. In many cases, a small error, like one misreported late payment is enough to tip the scale toward a denial. It’s also worth noting that some screening companies create a separate renter credit score or rental risk score based on your credit report. If the data feeding that score is wrong, the score itself is misleading.
If you believe your denial was based on credit report issues, you’re entitled to a copy of the report and a clear explanation. You can file a dispute directly with the credit bureau or through the tenant screening company that used the information.
Guess what? Credit reporting errors and tenant background check errors are handled by the same lawyers. If your tenant background check error is a credit reporting error, check out our credit reporting errors practice page to learn more about how we can help.
5. Incorrect Rental History – When Your Good Record Is Misrepresented
Rental history is a major part of tenant screening reports, and errors in this section can derail your application even if you’ve always paid on time and maintained a good relationship with landlords.
Mistakes may include false claims of missed payments, inaccurate eviction records, missing positive rental history, and duplicate or outdated negative entries. Sometimes, property managers or landlords report inaccurate data, or tenant screening companies fail to verify details. In other cases, automated data scraping from court records can result in a mistaken eviction showing up on your record, even if you won or settled the case.
Companies like AppFolio and CoreLogic gather and report renter background check information, but their systems aren’t foolproof. If you find mistakes in your rental background check, gather lease agreements, payment records, or letters from past landlords to support your case and dispute the incorrect entries.
Common Signs Your Report Has Tenant Background Check Errors
Here are some red flags that might indicate your background check contains errors
- You were denied a rental despite having good credit and rental history
- You see unexpected updates from screening companies like RentGrow or TransUnion shortly after applying
- You’re told you have an eviction or criminal record you don’t recognize
- Your rental application is denied but the landlord won’t explain why
If any of these situations sound familiar, it’s time to request a copy of your background check report and look it over closely. You may find evidence justifying a RentGrow dispute or grounds to file a lawsuit to get money for your losses.
How to Fix a Tenant Background Check Error
If you’ve been denied housing due to an inaccurate tenant screening report, follow these steps to help fix the issue.
- Request a free copy of the report from the screening company (they are required to give it to you under the FCRA). the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers some tips on how to request reports.
- Identify the specific errors.
- Gather documentation to prove the information is wrong.
- Submit a formal dispute in writing (via certified mail to preserve your rights), including your documentation.
- Wait up to 30 days for the company to investigate and respond.
- Follow up if necessary, and consider filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if they don’t respond properly.
- Work with a lawyer for tenant background check errors. Check out our background check errors practice page to learn how we can start helping you right now. Whether you need help with the dispute process or it’s time to fight back, we’re in your corner.
Tips to Protect Yourself From Tenant Background Check Errors
Being proactive is the best way to prevent background check surprises. Here are a few simple steps to protect yourself before applying for your next rental:
- Review your credit report regularly from all three bureaus and check for errors.
- Review your rental history if you’ve moved often or had disputes with landlords.
- Ask prospective landlords what tenant screening company they use so you can request your report in advance.
- If you’ve been involved in legal action or had a criminal charge dismissed, keep documentation on hand in case the details get reported incorrectly as tenant background check errors.
These steps can help you get ahead of any mistakes and correct them before they impact your housing.
Did you know? You have the right to review your credit reports weekly…for FREE? annualcreditreport.com is a government-verified site that you can safely use to access your reports.
When to Take Legal Action
Tenant background check errors aren’t just frustrating, they also violate your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If a background check company fails to correct false information, continues reporting outdated data, or denies your dispute without investigation, you may have a legal claim.
You may also be eligible to sue if you suffered financial or reputational harm, emotional and mental distress, or lost housing due to mistakes on background checks. Tenants across the country have successfully brought claims against companies like TransUnion, CoreLogic, and others after being wrongfully denied housing.
Remember, when companies refuse to remove inaccurate data, this can be grounds for a TransUnion rental screening dispute or lawsuits against other background check companies or the credit bureaus.
GET JUSTICE: Fight to Fix Tenant Background Check Errors & Get Money
If you’ve been denied housing due to a background check for renters error, you don’t have to face it alone. Consumer Justice Law Firm helps individuals just like you fight back against inaccurate tenant screening reports and assert their rights under federal law. We understand how stressful and unfair it is to be turned away from housing for something that isn’t your fault, and we know how to hold the background check companies accountable.
Proven Track Record
Our legal team has a strong track record of success in resolving disputes against companies like TransUnion, Experian, RentGrow, and CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions. Whether you were mistakenly listed as a sex offender, denied due to a mixed file, or had outdated evictions on your report, we’ve helped others in your shoes win compensation and clear their names.
We Put You First
We take the time to listen, investigate thoroughly, and tailor our legal approach to your specific needs. You pay nothing out of pocket. We only get paid when we win. We’ll fight to make sure these companies follow the law, respect your rights, and correct tenant background check mistakes.
Your housing is too important to leave to chance.
Let’s Do This! With FREE consultations and $0 out of pocket, you can get experienced and personalized legal help for tenant background check errors, starting today. Call now!