Tenant Screening & Background Checks
How screening reports work on Seayora, what they include, and the FCRA responsibilities that come with using them.
Screening helps you assess applicants consistently. Reports are prepared by independent consumer reporting agencies — Seayora is not a CRA and does not make decisions.
What a report can include
- Credit report and score.
- Criminal and eviction history, where legally permitted.
- Identity verification.
Your FCRA responsibilities
If you request or use a screening report you must have a permissible purpose, obtain the applicant’s consent, use the report only for that purpose, and follow adverse-action requirements — including pre-adverse and adverse-action notices — if a report contributes to a denial. Apply criteria consistently and comply with fair-housing and any local “ban the box” rules.
See the FCRA compliance doc for a step-by-step on adverse action.
How long screening takes
Turnaround depends on the consumer reporting agency and the applicant’s history — most reports return quickly, though some criminal or eviction records take longer to verify. You’ll be notified when a report is ready.
Reading a screening report
Reports typically summarize credit history and score, and — where legally permitted — criminal and eviction records. Apply the same criteria to every report you review, and remember a single negative item isn’t necessarily disqualifying; consider the full picture consistently across applicants.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for the screening report?
That’s determined by the landlord or management company — it may be passed to the applicant as part of the application fee or covered by the landlord, and should be disclosed up front.
Can an applicant see their own report?
Applicants have FCRA rights to know what’s in a report used against them and to dispute inaccurate information with the consumer reporting agency, particularly if the report contributes to a denial.
Can I screen an applicant more than once?
Re-screening is possible, but each report generally requires its own permissible purpose and consent — don’t reuse consent from an earlier, unrelated request.