Screening a rental applicant is easier to manage when you use a written checklist before making a decision. This tenant screening checklist for Clarksville, TN landlords covers the information to collect, what to verify, how to review reports, and what to record when you approve or decline an application.
Use the same relevant criteria for applicants to the same property, check information for accuracy, and consider any accommodation required by fair housing law. You can print this page or use your browser’s “Save as PDF” option to keep a copy of the checklist.
Printable Tenant Screening Checklist
- ☐ Publish written rental criteria. Define the requirements for the property before reviewing applications, and make them available to applicants.
- ☐ Receive a complete application. Check contact details, proposed occupants, income information, rental history, and other information relevant to your stated criteria.
- ☐ Confirm identity. Check that the applicant and supporting documents match, while collecting and storing only the personal information needed.
- ☐ Verify income or other resources. Consider suitable evidence for the applicant’s circumstances, such as pay statements, an offer letter, benefit documentation, or self-employment records.
- ☐ Contact previous housing providers when practical. Use independently verified contact details and ask factual, consistent questions about rental history.
- ☐ Order relevant screening reports lawfully. Use a provider that meets your needs and obtain consumer reports only for a permissible housing purpose.
- ☐ Check reports for errors and context. Confirm that records belong to the applicant and distinguish an eviction filing from a judgment.
- ☐ Review occupancy and animal information. Apply lawful property rules while considering fair housing requirements and requests involving assistance animals.
- ☐ Compare the verified information with your written criteria. Document the reason for the decision rather than relying only on a score or automated recommendation.
- ☐ Send any required adverse action notice. If a consumer report contributed to a denial or less favorable terms, follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s notice requirements.
- ☐ Secure the records. Limit access to applications and reports, and follow an appropriate retention and disposal process.
1. Set Criteria Before Reviewing Applicants
Written criteria give applicants a clearer idea of what you will review and help you make consistent decisions. The criteria should relate to the tenancy and the particular property. They might address the ability to pay rent, rental history, occupancy, and compliance with reasonable property rules.
A sample income multiple or credit-score cutoff is not a universal legal requirement. Consider how applicants can demonstrate reliable resources through different forms of documentation. Avoid a blanket rule that automatically rejects every person with an eviction filing or criminal record without checking accuracy, relevance, and applicable fair housing requirements.
For a Clarksville rental, also review the property’s actual occupancy requirements. Do not describe one number of occupants as a universal “Fair Housing maximum”; the appropriate standard can depend on the unit and applicable law.
2. Review the Application and Verify Information
Use an application that asks for the information needed to apply your published criteria. Explain any application fee and the reports you intend to order. Check that the application is complete before comparing it with other applications.
Depending on the applicant’s situation, income evidence may include pay statements, an employment offer, tax records, benefit documentation, or other reliable records. When contacting a previous landlord, verify the contact information independently where possible. Ask the same factual questions for comparable applicants, such as whether rent was paid as agreed and whether the tenancy ended with outstanding obligations.
3. Review Credit, Eviction, and Background Reports Carefully
A screening report may contain credit information, rental or eviction records, or other background information. The Federal Trade Commission’s guidance for landlords explains that a landlord needs a permissible purpose to obtain a consumer report and must use it for the housing purpose certified to the reporting company.
Check that each record matches the applicant. An eviction case being filed does not, by itself, tell you how the case ended. A report or automated screening score may also contain mistakes or omit useful context. Give the applicant an appropriate opportunity to clarify information or identify an error before relying on a disputed record.
If your screening includes criminal history, use criteria that are relevant to the tenancy and avoid treating all records as equivalent. Review your policy with qualified fair housing counsel if you are unsure how a particular record may be used.
4. Check Occupancy, Pets, and Assistance Animals
Confirm who intends to live in the rental and which adults would sign the lease. Apply occupancy rules in line with the property’s characteristics and applicable law, without making assumptions about families with children.
Ask about animals so you can explain the property’s ordinary pet policy. An assistance animal is not a pet under HUD guidance, and an applicant may request a reasonable accommodation to a pet restriction or fee. Handle such a request through the appropriate accommodation process rather than treating it as an ordinary pet-policy exception.
5. Make and Record the Decision
Compare the verified application with the criteria you provided in advance. Keep a brief record of what you reviewed and the reason for the outcome. Apply the same process to applicants for the same property while accounting for legally required accommodations and corrected information.
If a consumer report influenced an unfavorable decision—even in part—the Fair Credit Reporting Act generally requires an adverse action notice. This can apply to a denial or to less favorable terms, such as requiring a co-signer or a larger deposit. The FTC explains what the notice must contain, including the reporting company’s details and the applicant’s rights to obtain and dispute the report.
Questions to Ask a Previous Landlord
- What were the tenancy dates?
- Was rent generally paid according to the lease?
- Were there documented lease violations or outstanding charges?
- Was proper notice given before move-out?
- Is there anything in the rental record that needs clarification?
Ask factual questions and keep notes. A reference is one piece of evidence, not a guarantee of how an applicant will perform in a future tenancy.
Common Screening Mistakes to Avoid
- Changing the criteria after seeing a particular application.
- Using an inflexible income multiple without considering other reliable resources.
- Treating an eviction filing as proof that a tenant was evicted.
- Relying on a screening score without checking the underlying information.
- Applying ordinary pet fees or restrictions to an assistance animal request without reviewing accommodation requirements.
- Forgetting an adverse action notice when a consumer report contributed to an unfavorable decision.
- Keeping sensitive applicant records where people without a need to see them can access them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a tenant screening checklist include?
It should cover written criteria, a complete application, identity and income verification, rental history, relevant reports, fair housing considerations, a documented decision, and any required notice to the applicant.
Is there a required income-to-rent ratio in Tennessee?
This checklist does not assume a universal ratio. A landlord may adopt relevant, lawful criteria for a property, but should consider appropriate ways for applicants to document their ability to pay and apply the criteria consistently.
Should a landlord automatically deny an applicant with an eviction record?
No automatic conclusion should be drawn from a record without checking that it belongs to the applicant and understanding what happened in the case. A filing and an eviction judgment are different. Review the information against your written criteria and applicable law.
What if an applicant disputes a screening report?
Record the concern and avoid treating an unverified report entry as certain. If a consumer report influenced an unfavorable decision, provide the required adverse action notice so the applicant can obtain the report and dispute inaccurate information with the reporting company.
Use the Checklist Alongside a Clear Process
This page is a working checklist for reviewing an application. For a fuller explanation of each stage, read our step-by-step tenant screening process guide. Keep both the checklist and your property’s written criteria with your leasing records so future decisions can be reviewed consistently.
This guide provides general information, not legal advice about a specific applicant. Review current federal, Tennessee, and local requirements when setting or applying rental criteria.
