04. THE CREDIT REPORT: My Smart Move
- THE CREDIT REPORT: My Smart Move
As of 2021, we use MySmartMove.com to obtain rental background info on every applicant who appears to meet our standard. It’s great for us, because it takes the burden of decision-making off my back, and transfers liability to TransUnion, where they have plenty of lawyers on payroll.
TransUnion SmartMove offers landlords like you a smarter way to screen potential tenants.
Other background check providers often try to upsell independent landlords on various data packages, making it difficult for them to decide what they actually need, and how to act on their results. At TransUnion SmartMove, we believe the tenant screening process should be clear and simple.
That’s why our screening solution gives landlords like you quick online background checks—and a customized leasing recommendation—without the hassle of onsite inspections or lengthy enrollment processes. And because your potential renters’ Social Security numbers remain private, your rental applicants get peace of mind, knowing the process is secure.
It takes only a few simple steps.
Just create a landlord account, answer some questions about your property and send an email request for consent to your potential tenant or tenants through SmartMove. Once the rental applicants get the request, they set up their own renter account, consent to the screening,
and authenticate their identity. TransUnion then screens the applicants, and, within minutes, provides you with:
A customized credit report *
A criminal report that draws from millions of criminal records
A leasing “sort of” recommendation based on your set criteria
A single recommendation for multiple applicants
SmartMove packages cost either $25 or $38, depending on whether a full credit report is requested.
What I like BEST about the setup is that I can make the APPLICANT pay for it as part of the application process, so it doesn’t cost me a penny!!!
KEY FEATURES:
- Quick access—no waiting for approval, no additional documentation
You can even choose to have them do this before you even LOOK at their application, making your job easier still. This is FAST, easy and inexpensive, and it weeds out the bad apples BEFORE you rent to them.
- Flexible terms—pay-per-use, no set-up fees, no minimums
This makes it ideal for small landlords. Under the new FTC rules for credit reporting, it is simply not practical for ANY small landlord to be set up to obtain their own credit reporting services.
- Prompt results—custom report and leasing recommendation in minutes
Once the tenant gets the request, submits the information, and pays their fee, the report to you is generated within minutes, enabling you to make a FAST decision before the tenant sees another house and changes their mind.
- Choice of who pays—you or the renter
I know what my choice is: THE APPLICANT PAYS.
Landlord and Real Estate Agent FAQs
Here are the questions:
Can you tell me how to screen tenants with TransUnion SmartMove—and explain how SmartMove is different than other online background checks?
Why can’t I complete the entire process without the renter logging on?
What if a renter does not have a Social Security number?
Does SmartMove report unpaid rent to the credit bureau?
Can SmartMove verify my renter’s employment history or prior rental history?
What if my renter is unable to pass Identity Authentication on SmartMove?
What if I need to cancel an application I submitted which has not yet completed or returned results?
What if I need to cancel an application I submitted which has returned results?
What if the renter did not get the email from SmartMove that I initiated?
What if the renter did not get the email from SmartMove that I initiated because the email address may have been entered incorrectly?
Can you tell me how to screen tenants with TransUnion SmartMove—and explain how SmartMove is different than other online background checks?
Three factors separate SmartMove from anything else you might find out there.
There is no lengthy enrollment process—landlords simply create an account and begin using SmartMove immediately.
SmartMove enables the rental applicant to initiate the screening process by giving his or her consent in a secure, online environment. This makes it so the landlord doesn’t have to go through onsite inspections in order to screen a potential tenant.
Because the rental applicant initiates the screening, it posts to his or her credit file as a “soft inquiry” which does not affect his or her credit score.
Why can’t I complete the entire process without the renter logging on?
SmartMove is a consumer-initiated service, meaning the consumer (renter) plays an active role in deciding when and to whom to release sensitive personal information. The process is conducted online, keeping this information secure. Other services that do not actively involve the renter require more of the landlord and often have less secure methods of obtaining and returning sensitive consumer information.
What if a renter does not have a Social Security number?
At this time, SmartMove only has the ability to process an application for renters who have a valid U.S. Social Security number.
7.1.4. Does SmartMove report unpaid rent to the credit bureau?
At this time, SmartMove does not have the ability to report rental history on a consumer’s credit report. We recommend contacting a collection agency or your local apartment association to inquire about how back rent may be reported on a consumer’s credit file.
Can SmartMove verify my renter’s employment history or prior rental history?
At this time, SmartMove does not verify employment and/or rental history for potential renters. Please contact your local apartment association for more information on verifying employment and/or rental history.
What if my renter is unable to pass Identity Authentication on SmartMove?
When renters set up an account with SmartMove, they are required to answer a series of personal questions to authenticate their identity and grant consent to screening before their credit and criminal information is made available to a landlord. If a potential renter has difficulty with this process, please have him or her contact SmartMove directly for further assistance.
What if I need to cancel an application I submitted which has not yet completed or returned results?
If the renter has not completed the confirmation and authentication steps, the landlord can proceed to step 3 – Make Decision – and Decline the application to cancel the request. The landlord may wish to add comments indicating to the renter that there is no further need to respond or apply. An email will be issued to the rental applicant indicating that his or her application has been declined. Since the renter has not completed his or her confirmation or authentication at this point, no charge has been incurred.
7.1.8. What if I need to cancel an application I submitted which has returned results?
If the renter has already completed the confirmation and authentication steps, the landlord can proceed to step 3 (Make Decision) and select a decision. This does not remove the charge or the results, however it does mark the application as complete and issue an email to the renter indicating a decision has been made. The renter can then log into his or her account to view the decision and the landlord’s comments.
What if the renter did not get the email from SmartMove that I initiated?
If the rental applicant has not yet received an email from SmartMove prompting him or her to create an account and/or to grant consent to the screening, he or she can still do so by going directly to the SmartMove site and clicking on any of the “Create an Account” buttons and creating a renter account (if the renter does not already have a SmartMove account). The renter must create an account using the email address that the landlord sends the request to. Once the renter sets up an account, he or she will see an option on the homepage to complete the authentication process.
What if the renter did not get the email from SmartMove that I initiated because the email address may have been entered incorrectly?
If the landlord has entered the incorrect email address for the rental applicant, he or she can add that renter again with the correct email address and then delete the incorrect renter profile. To accomplish this, first the landlord must log in to their account and click on the Application History tab on the top of the page. Select the application with the incorrect email address. Click on the first tab, “Step 1. Edit Requested Information”. At the bottom of the page, click on “Add Renter”. Enter the correct email address and click “Add Renter”. Once the landlord has added the correct email as a new renter profile, he or she should delete the prior renter profile reflecting the incorrect email address. The renter should then receive his or her request to consent to the screening.