Which portal to use for best comprehensive screening

[Tina Kapur]

Hello, Newbie here. Just have 1 unit /condo in chicago loop, that is now available for renting. Hence  I dont use a property manager/management company for this unit
Posted on Zillow , total of 6 applicants. 2 very interested parties.
What tool/website should I use to do a comprehensive background check? There are way too many websites.
tried

Innago but they seem to have only the application. In which they dont

even ask for SSN (I had to edit the application to supply that)?
Someone said ZILLOW is not recommended (not sure why)

Help much appreciated. Thanks!!

[Tim Miller]

Any company that does all in one is not going to be the best at everything. With that said, a friend in Pittsburgh uses Zillow all the time and doesn't seem to have any issues.

We use Myrental.com to do all our background checks and collect ID and pay stubs from there.

You need to run through a few of these sites and see which one works best for you. But it doesn't manner which site you use if you do not have solid policy, processes and procedures in place from the start. Good Luck!

[Tina Kapur]

Thanks Tim.  Agreed, wanted something to get started on (not to mention that so many websites rate these background check portal and by the time I test them, they fizzle in features/functionality. Thanks for your input.

[Tina Kapur]

I hadnt checked myrental.com
Question on that
- This site just needs name and email of tenant/applicant. No SSN etc? to do the check?
- instead needs landlords SSN? I am concerned about where all this data is stored

[Tim Miller]

Quote from @Tina Kapur:

I hadnt checked myrental.com
Question on that
- This site just needs name and email of tenant/applicant. No SSN etc? to do the check?
- instead needs landlords SSN? I am concerned about where all this data is stored

The tenant puts their information in MyRental.com after they setup their account. You can always ask for a copy of the SS Card along with ID and Pay stub.

Yeah, they have to verify you because you are requesting other peoples information. MyRental is a part of CoreLogic, so far I haven't heard of CoreLogic having a breach.

As for being worried about them having your data, most likely to late. CoreLogic is used by a lot of companies so they may already have it.

[Jonathan Klemm]

Hi @Tina Kapur - Great virtually e-meet you and welcome the Chicago BP community!

We typically use hemlane.com which is a great platform for managing rental properties - We love it.  Great system and good checks.

Some other good ones are:

mysmartmove.com (transunion)

Turbotenant

Avail

Rentspree

I'd just see what's going to work best with your overall property management system... aka how are collecting rent, communicating with tenants, collecting maintenance issues, etc.

[Tina Kapur]

Thanks al

[Igor Bekker]

Identingly.com no subscriptions like the rest of them.  $40 if not less and you get the whole report with full background. Its pretty comprehensive. Even if the data comes out clean, you can still learn so much about them.  rental history, aliases etc.  a lot of data for a conversation and to see if you're being mislead 

[Kevin Leslie]

This may need to be taken with a grain of salt, but I have looked each up on Trustpilot and included the scores below. Reviews include landlord and applicant reviews, so take it for face value.

Myrental (CoreLogic) - 3.2 Stars: An average rating indicates that some users may have experienced issues, but CoreLogic’s established presence in the industry might still offer reliability.

mysmartmove.com (TransUnion) - 2.9 Stars: This below-average score suggests that there might be significant drawbacks, possibly in customer service or user experience, despite the reliability of data provided by TransUnion.

Turbotenant - 3.6 Stars: Slightly above average, this rating suggests that while the platform is generally satisfactory, there might be some areas that need improvement. Turbotenant’s free tools can be a plus for first-time landlords.

Avail (Realtor.com) - 3.9 Stars: A solid rating close to 4 stars, indicating that most users are satisfied. Avail offers a comprehensive set of tools for landlords and has the backing of Realtor.com, adding to its credibility.

Rentspree - 4.4 Stars: The highest-rated service in the group, Rentspree is likely to provide a smooth and reliable experience for both landlords and tenants, making it a strong option.

Rentredi - 3.5 Stars: This rating suggests that Rentredi offers a decent service with some room for improvement. It might be worth exploring if its features align with your needs.

Identingly.com - 0 Stars (no reviews): With no reviews, this platform is an unknown quantity. It might be new or not widely used, so it’s best to approach with caution until more feedback is available.

[Tina Kapur]

thanks all!