FAQs

 

Get answers to your frequently asked questions right here!

Please find below our frequently asked questions. If you have an additional inquiry, please contact our support team.

Our frequently asked questions are organized by these categories:

tick-circle-2  Report Overview

tick-circle-2  Payment

tick-circle-2  Logging In & Access

tick-circle-2  Privacy & Security

 

Report Overview

Is my credit score affected when I run my credit information through My Rental History Report?

No. Ordering your own background report will not affect your credit score. This is because when your run a rental history check through My Rental History Report, the crediting agencies see the request as coming from you. Part of your rental history report will be a copy of your credit report.

However, if you are applying for apartments, and your potential future landlord does a credit check, that can appear on your report, and potentially affect your credit. Here are some other ways your credit score may be affected:

  • Loan applications – when you apply for a home, car or other loan, the lending company will probably check your credit score to determine what kind of interest rate you qualify for. But if you are shopping around for the best rates, and multiple inquiries are made on your credit during a short time frame (traditionally one to two weeks), generally your credit score will not be affected.
  • Closing and opening credit accounts – suddenly closing or opening credit accounts can reflect on your credit score negatively.
  • Late payment or missing payments – Making late payments or skipping payments for any kind of bills can lower your credit score.

Can I run a background check on someone other than myself?

For security reasons, you are unable to run a background check on someone other than yourself.

However, if you are a landlord with fewer than 100 units and need to run a rental history check, click here to find out about our background screening services. We offer landlords an option for a basic search of criminal history, rental payment history, Social Security number verification and an address history report. And landlords can upgrade to also include sex offender, terrorist alert, exit referral, eviction, criminal record, identity theft and fraud protection and most wanted searches.

Or if you are an employer interested in pre-employment background screenings, click here to learn more. We offer several packages ranging from a basic background check of credit reports, Social Security number evaluation and criminal searches, to a customized employment screening package for comprehensive investigations.

There are some circumstances where we are limited by federal law in accessing specific data, and please note, fees for our services can vary depending on fees assessed by various states and resources.

How long can I view my report and what should I do if my report has expired?

Because records are constantly being updated, your report is available to view for 30 days.

We recommend accessing your rental history report when you are ready to apply for an apartment space. This allows you to review the information gathered about yourself, confirm that the information is correct, and potentially address any concerns a landlord might learn when he/she does a rental history check.
If your apartment search continues longer than 30 days, you may want to rerun your rental history, since credit information is constantly changing. It is a good idea to do a rental history check just prior to when you anticipate a landlord conducting a background check. You can easily purchase an up-to-date report by clicking Order New Report while logged into your account.

If you find a report has expired before the expiration date, please click on the “Contact Us” link after you’ve logged in and one of our customer service representatives will be happy to research the issue.

What information appears on my report?

When you order a rental history report, you’ll receive a wide-ranging document that covers all the information you need to provide to a potential landlord. As an applicant, you want to make sure you have all your bases covered, and know exactly what they’ll be seeing.

To get a better idea of what the report will look like, take a look at our sample rental history report. There you’ll see that all reports from My Rental History Report include the following:

  • Credit Report including Address History: Your creditworthiness is every property manager or owner’s top concern. We include an easy-to-read report from a national credit bureau, which is a fast, cost effective tool to see if you are financially qualified. Ordering your background report won’t affect your credit score.
  • Eviction Records: The included Court Eviction Search provides important information about your past rental history.
  • Criminal History (Criminal SuperScan, OFAC, Nationwide Sex Offender Search): Your criminal history is compiled from Nationwide Criminal SuperScan (a product that automatically performs a multi-state criminal search), Nationwide Sex Offender Search, and OFAC/Global Terrorist Search, which identifies individuals who represent a potential threat to United States National Security.

 

How long does it take for my background report to be completed?

It usually takes about 10 minutes for your rental history report to be created. Keep in mind that times may vary, depending on whether manual research is required (if that’s the case, it can take up to one business day).

For your own security, we at My Rental History Report put a priority on accuracy. When we find the records that are included in your rental history report, we take all necessary steps to ensure that the records we put on your report actually belong to you – not someone else with the same name.

When you set up your order and provide us with your email address, a temporary password will be emailed to you. When you want to access your rental history report, you can either use the login fields at www.myrentalhistoryreport.com or bookmark the My RHR Login page. If you forget your password, use the Password Reset page to create a new one; if you have any further difficulty logging in, contact us.

Once you’ve logged in, you can view the report and any incomplete sections will be noted as “In Progress.” If you feel the report should be completed but the status still says “In Progress,” click on the “Contact Us” link. One of our dedicated customer service representatives will be glad to help.

Can I give this report to potential landlords?

When you’re searching for a place to rent and finally find the perfect location, you want to do everything possible to ensure that you’ll be the one signing the lease.

As you’re gathering information about potential houses or apartments to rent, you should also do some background research on how you appear to property managers or owners. A rental history report will show you the information that landlords will look at as they consider whether to offer you the lease. Knowing what’s on your rental history report will help you be prepared for any questions that might arise.

You can provide your rental history report to a prospective landlord, but it’s up to them whether they choose to accept it, or simply use their own screening processes. Whether they take the report from you or not, your rental history can give you and prospective landlords a great starting point. You can use the report to screen for any possible errors in your background information, and landlords can use them to pre-qualify you, based on the results in the report.

Being prepared is important, and by having your rental history report on hand, you’ll be showing property managers that you think ahead and show responsibility. In addition, knowing what’s on your report will help you field any potential questions from landlords more easily.

How do I dispute incorrect information?

When you perform a rental history check, you may find material on your My Rental History report that you disagree with. It’s easy to dispute errors on your renters history report. Simply click on the link in the header of the section containing information you wish to dispute. All portions of your credit report are disputed directly through TransUnion. At the very bottom of your report, you will find TransUnion’s contact information as well as your unique TransUnion report identification number.

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires both the credit reporting company and the person, company or organization that provided the disputed information to correct inaccurate or incomplete information on your credit report. To dispute information on your credit report, you must notify both the credit bureau and the creditor, in writing, that you disagree with the information. Provide a detailed explanation of why you dispute the information and include copies (but never originals) of any documents that support your claim. The credit reporting company must investigate your claim and will usually respond, in writing, within 30 days.

If your dispute results in a change to your credit report, the credit reporting company must give you a free copy of your report. You are also entitled to ask the credit bureau to send written notification of the change to anyone who received a copy of your report in the past six months, and to any potential employers who received the report in the past two years.

Source: FTC website (http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0151-disputing-errors-credit-reports)

What if a criminal record shows up that doesn’t belong to me?

Rental history reports contain information about criminal records. If criminal records information shows up on your history report that doesn’t belong to you, you will want to dispute the information. Simply click on the dispute link in the header of the criminal records section. A member of Rental History Reports’ dispute services team will begin investigating your claim within a business day, and will contact you with information on how to proceed. If the source of the criminal record changes or removes the record, we will issue you a corrected copy of your background check free of charge.

Because criminal records can have serious repercussions for your employment, rental and credit opportunities, you may consider seeking legal help to correct errors. An attorney may be able to help you clear your criminal record of incorrect information.

What if I don’t have a Social Security Number?

If you are a citizen of the United States, you need a Social Security Number. If you are non-citizen working in the U.S., you also need a number. In order for My Rental History to provide your rental report history, we need your Social Security Number. A Social Security Number is a key identifier that allows us to access your credit history and other important records. Without your Social Security Number, we are unable to complete the security process of verifying your identity prior to releasing personal information.

If you don’t have a Social Security Number, or have forgotten yours, contact the Social Security Administration. Immigrants who need a Social Security Number can either apply in their home country, before coming to the U.S., when they apply for a visa from the U.S. Department of State. Or, they can visit a Social Security office and apply in person. Visit www.ssa.gov/ to find out what documents you’ll need to show when applying.

U.S. citizens who need a Social Security Number can download an application form from the ssa.gov website. Check the website for a list of documents you’ll need to apply, then take or mail your completed application to your local Social Security office. If you’ve forgotten your number, contact the Social Security Administration directly to find out what you need to do to obtain it.

Where does the information on your reports come from?

We draw the information for your rental history report from a number of public records databases, including court records, arrest records, inmate records and state repositories, to name a few. TransUnion, one of the largest credit bureau in the world, provides the credit portion of your rental history check.

Much of the information we use – with the exception of your credit information – is public information. While you could access all this information yourself, it would be a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. Gathering this information takes time, and you may lack the expertise to do as thorough a job as a full rental history report requires. Even if you have the time to do the job yourself, you may be unsure what organizations or agencies to include in your public records search, and who to contact to request your personal information. My Rental History takes the guesswork out of gathering this information and saves you time by doing the “leg work” for you.

What if I have a criminal record but I want to get it removed?

If you were convicted of a crime, your criminal record may follow you for many years, even after you have served your time or paid the necessary restitution. You may be reminded of your criminal record when you receive your rental history report.

You don’t necessarily have to live with whatever is on your criminal record – you may be able to get prior convictions removed. Procedures often depend on where the conviction occurred. In some states, criminal records are automatically removed from the public record after a certain period of time. There are many states, however, that have no procedures for removing old records from public view. The best first step is to check with the bureau of criminal apprehension in the state where the crime occurred about their procedures.

In states that don’t automatically remove records after a certain time period, the only way to remove a conviction from your record is to file for an expungement. To file an expungement petition, you must contact the clerk of courts in the county where your conviction occurred. You may find it helpful to get legal help to guide you through the process.

Non-conviction records (acquittals, dismissed records, and records which resulted in punishment prior to conviction) will not show up on your record after seven years from the final disposition date. If a non-conviction continues to show up on your rental history report – or any criminal background check – you should work with the necessary agencies to get the matter resolved.

What if an eviction record shows up that doesn’t belong to me?

To dispute an eviction record on your rental history report, click on the dispute link in the header of the eviction records section of your report (as shown left). Once you make the request to dispute an eviction record, a member of Rental History Reports’ dispute services team will begin investigating your claim within one business day and will contact you with information on how to proceed.

If the source of the eviction record changes or removes the record, we will issue you a corrected copy of your background check free of charge.

One thing to keep in mind: In some eviction cases, a judge may grant a landlord the power to evict, but the landlord and renter may work out an agreement after the fact allowing the renter to stay in the unit. In cases like these, a court record may still show an eviction.

Why does my rental history report say I have an eviction on my record if my landlord didn’t actually evict me?

There are many possible outcomes to an eviction case in housing court, some of which might cause surprising results when you see your rental history. A few of the more common outcomes include:

  • The landlord and the renter may come to a payment agreement, avoiding a hearing.
  • The judge may state that the renter can remain in the unit if rent is paid in full by a certain date, or otherwise face eviction.
  • The case may be dismissed entirely.
  • The judge may rule that the landlord may evict the renter.

Even if the judge rules that the landlord may evict the renter, the landlord may choose to come to a separate agreement with the renter which allows the renter to remain in the unit. If this happens to you, it does not mean the eviction won’t show up on your record.

In most cases, eviction or housing court records remain on your record for seven years. Knowing your rental history can help you explain these types of situations to potential landlords. If your situation ended well, you may wish to provide the contact information of your past landlord to potential landlords who might have questions.

What if I have an eviction record but I want to get it removed?

If you have an eviction on your rental history report that you would like to have removed, you do have some options.

In most states, eviction records are public information for seven years from the final disposition date. If an eviction continues to show up after seven years, check the appropriate state’s laws and if the eviction should be removed, contact the clerk of courts in the county where the eviction occurred.

If the seven-year period has not expired, but you are looking to remove that blemish from your rental history, you can file for an expungement. Expungement petitions must be filed in the county where your eviction occurred. If you were able to settle your eviction case with your landlord and provide full payment, or eviction proceedings were unfairly brought against you, you stand a better chance of having your expungement request granted.

If your case is complicated, a lawyer may be able to help you decide whether or not to file for an expungement.

What other type of service could a rental history report be used for?

Our reports are geared towards giving you a preview of what potential landlords will see when they run a rental history check on you. Running your own rental history report is a proactive way to resolve any issues that might appear on your report, and know what types of things might need to be addressed with potential landlords before you submit an application.

While My Rental History Report works to give you the information you need when looking for housing, it can also help you identify issues that might need to be resolved before you apply for a job or credit. Since potential employers often conduct criminal background checks and credit checks, you’ll have that information at your fingertips as well. You may also find issues in your credit history that are preventing you from getting the best rates when you apply for credit.

Knowing your credit history, criminal history and rental history can be helpful for many situations in everyday life, not just when you are applying for housing.

What if I don’t have a credit score? How will that affect my rental history report?

If you don’t have a credit score, it doesn’t mean you have done anything wrong. Typically, that means either you haven’t established any credit (credit cards, loans, regular bill payments, etc.) which satisfies the credit bureaus, or you haven’t had any active trade lines for at least six months.

If you don’t have a credit score, it likely means you don’t have many regularly occurring transactions and conduct most of your transactions by cash or check. For example, a retiree who doesn’t have many recurring expenses could experience the lack of credit history, or a “thin file” as those in the credit industry refer to it.

So what does this mean for your rental history report? In short, it’s a good idea to establish a credit score if you are applying for housing, as many landlords use this to determine your ability to pay your rent. We use TransUnion as our credit reporting service, and you can learn more about establishing or re-establishing your credit history on their website.

 

Payment

How do I pay for my report?

You can pay the rental history report fee of $29.95 with a variety of credit cards – My Rental History Report accepts credit card payment in the form of Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.

For the $29.95 fee, you’ll have access to your rental history report for 30 days. The time limit is in place because records are constantly being updated, and it’s important that you have the most up-to-date report possible. And because we emphasize keeping our customers’ confidential information safe, you’ll have the added peace of mind of getting your rental history report through a Better Business Bureau accredited company. All data transmitted to and from MyRentalHistoryReport customer sites is encrypted for your protection.

Before the ordering process is complete, you’ll have access to a confirmation of your payment page, which you can print and keep on hand in case you need a hard copy of your rental history report. A receipt will also be sent to the email address you provide us when ordering your report.

If you have trouble submitting payment, your card may be failing our credit card verification service. The address you enter needs to be an exact match to your billing address on the credit card.

If you experience problems submitting payment or find your report expired before the expiration date, please contact us.

Are there monthly fees to use your service?

No, there are no set-up or monthly access fees for receiving your rental history report. My Rental History Report is completely transaction based, so you are only charged once for the service you use.

You do have access to your report for 30 days that comes with the one time fee of $29.95. You can access your rental history report at any time using your email address and password that you set up when you are originally sent your report. If you forget your password, simply contact us.

It’s a good idea to print or save a copy of your rental history report so you can access it after your login has expired. We only make our reports available for 30 days to ensure we are providing accurate and timely information, but it can still be a useful reference for you, especially if there’s an issue you still have yet to resolve.

If your situation has changed or an important matter has been resolved since you last purchased a report, you may wish to purchase an updated rental history report.

Why should I purchase a rental history report? What are the benefits to me?

When you’re competing against other renters for coveted properties, it pays to give yourself the advantage of knowing exactly what’s on your rental history report. With our report, you’ll get access to the same kind of information potential landlords are looking at so you know exactly where you stand.

A major reason for scanning your own rental history is to ensure there are no discrepancies on your report. If something unexpected shows up on your report, you have the opportunity to correct it before you submit an application for housing. If you wait for your landlord to discover the issue, it may be too late.

Our service is designed to provide you with a far more in-depth look into your background than a standard credit report. When you order a rental history report, you can proceed in your housing search with confidence.

Will I still have to pay an application fee to a landlord if I purchase a rental history report?

Each landlord has their own rental history screening criteria. Purchasing your own rental history report may or may not meet these requirements, as many landlords prefer to conduct their own background checks. If your potential landlord will consider accepting the rental history report you purchased for consideration, you may find it helpful to direct them to our website.

While you may find it helpful to provide your rental history report to potential landlords, the main purpose of our service is alert you to any rental history issues you need to be aware of before you submit an application. By using our service, you can proactively resolve any discrepancies in your report to put yourself in the best possible standing as you search for housing.

Before you submit an application fee, you may want to receive assurances from your landlord that you will receive the property if everything checks out. Good landlords will only run background checks on renters they are serious about renting to. If your rental history report looks good, you should have nothing to worry about. If you do have issues on your report that may concern potential landlords, you can discuss them before you pay an application fee to make sure you aren’t wasting your time or money.

We also provide rental history reports to landlords, so they may already be familiar with our service.

 

Logging In & Access

How do I log in to my account and view my report?

A password will be emailed to you upon order setup. Simply enter the email address you provided us during order setup and use the temporary password we sent to you. There are login fields at the top of this page or bookmark the My RHR Login page.

If you’ve forgotten your password, please enter your email address on the Password Reset page. If you are still having difficulty logging in, please contact us.

Your account will include reports on everything from OFAC terrorist and drug trafficker alerts, criminal records, sex offender history, court eviction records as well as a complete credit report and score.

Your rental history report will be available to you for 30 days. This is because information on your credit report is constantly changing, and would be inaccurate after 30 days. If the 30 days have passed, you can run a rental history check again while logged into your account, and your information will be refreshed with current data. This may be a good idea if you are still apartment hunting, and want to ensure your information is correct before a potential future landlord does a background check on you.

Can I order a rental history report by phone or fax instead of using your website?

No. All rental history reports must be ordered through our website. We take your security seriously, and Web payment is the best way to ensure you information is transmitted securely. You can learn about all the other ways that we ensure your security by browsing our security information and privacy policy.

Our website requires no special software, so it’s simple and easy to order and view your rental history report online. If you don’t have regular Internet access, print a copy of your report for future use. And if you lose your copy, you can log in and view your rental history report on our site for 30 days after you purchase it.

Because we conduct all transactions online, you will need to use a credit or debit card. If you don’t have a credit or debit card, you can purchase a prepaid credit card, widely available at major retailers, supermarkets and convenience stores, that will allow you to conduct your transaction.

 

Privacy & Security

How do I know my information is secure?

Data transmitted to and from MyRHR customer sites is encrypted for the user’s protection. However, the security of information transmitted through the Internet can never be guaranteed, and users will read their rental history report online.

MyRHR is not responsible for any interception or interruption of any communications through the Internet or for losses of data that would be included on a renter’s history report.

The user is responsible for maintaining the security of any password, user ID or other form of authentication involved in obtaining access to password-protected or secure areas of MyRHR sites. In order to protect you and your data, MyRHR may suspend your use of the site, without notice, pending an investigation, if any breach of security is suspected. Please visit our security page for more information.

A note of caution, it is always a good idea for users to establish a unique password when requesting personal rental history through MyRHR with capital letters and punctuation symbols. It is also recommended to save these passwords in a secure location – not online.