Tenant Consent For Background Checks in SC

[Theresa P.]

I am reevaluating the background check process for a mobile home park. Instead of using a site such as Cozy, I'd rather perform the background check myself. In South Carolina, is consent for background checks required? So far I have only found sites that require applications to authorize the background check being performed on them. I'd like to eliminate this step if I can, specifically because it just adds another step for the applicant to go through and puts up another roadblock to them finally signing a lease - we've found that our extensive application process is deterring applicants and we're trying to cut it down. 

[Kyle J.]

@Theresa P. Depends on what you mean by "background check".  You can check public records without consent.  In my state, that would include things like court records, criminal convictions, sex offender registration, etc.  However, to actually pull their credit, you will need their consent regardless of what state you're in.

I pull credit reports myself on applicants once they apply and I much prefer it over sending them through a third party site because there's no delay or extra step in me getting the information I need to make a decision.