Background Check Tactics

[Robert M.]

Hello All,

I have been renting property for several years now, and fortunately for me, I haven't escaped some of the nightmare tenants some have experienced on this site.

However, I wanted to query every bodies knowledge on how they perform Background Check / Credit Checks. When I look for new tenants I always post on a in advertisements that I perform Background Checks & Credit Checks. However, I only perform a background check because I know a website that allows me to look-up Criminal History for free (PA only). I am glad that I perform this section of the process because I have had some scary encounters with "nice folks" with extensive records (drug charges, gun charges, violent crimes ect). The gap that I see is that I do not see records that exist outside of the state of PA.

So my questions are this:

1. What do you use to perform a background check (e.g. agency, website, other)? Do you know of a free service that allows you to see criminal history across multiple states

2. Do you perform Credit Checks? If so, what do you use to perform this type of query. Does this equal a hard query on credit (i.e. hurt somebodies credit rating).

Thanks for your input,

Robert

4 Unit Apartment Building Owner (2008)