Tenant Screening
Thorough tenant screening that follows Maryland law to the letter, so you get a reliable tenant without the legal exposure of getting a denial wrong.
Free 15-minute call. No obligation, no sales pitch.
A Full Picture of Every Applicant
Credit alone doesn’t tell you whether someone will pay rent on time and take care of your property. We look at the whole picture.
Credit History
Credit score, payment history, and outstanding collections, with written consent obtained before we pull anything.
Income Verification
Pay stubs, offer letters, or bank statements confirming the applicant can actually afford the rent.
Rental History
We contact prior landlords directly and check for past evictions, not just what an applicant tells us.
Criminal History
Reviewed within the limits Maryland law actually allows, covered in detail below.
Screening the Way Maryland Law Actually Requires
A lot of screening mistakes come from landlords not knowing what Maryland actually allows. Getting a denial wrong can mean a fair housing complaint. Here’s what we build into every screening decision.
- Source-of-income protection: Maryland's Fair Housing Law bars rejecting an applicant for using a housing voucher or other lawful income source, including Section 8.
- Criminal history limits: no blanket bans. Any denial has to be based on an individualized review tied to a legitimate concern, and arrest records without a conviction can't be used at all, statewide.
- FCRA consent and adverse action notices: we get written consent before pulling a credit or background report, and any denial based on that report comes with a proper adverse action notice.
- Rejection letter timing: under Maryland Real Property § 8-213, an applicant who paid an application fee and is denied has to receive a rejection letter within 15 days, and we track that deadline.
How Screening Works
Application & Consent
The applicant submits the application and pays the screening fee, and signs written consent for us to pull their credit and background reports.
Full Verification
We pull credit and background reports, verify income and employment, and call prior landlords directly instead of just reading what the applicant wrote.
Decision & Documentation
You get a qualification summary and our recommendation. If an applicant is denied, we send the legally required notice and track the deadline for you.
Bundled or Standalone, Your Call
Screening is built into every full-service management plan, Owner Assist, Standard, and Premium. If you handle your own leasing and just need a qualified opinion on an applicant, Tenant Screening Only covers a full screening review and qualification summary for your existing applicant. If you also want us to market the unit and run the showings first, our Listing + Screening Package covers marketing, inquiries, showings, applications, and a qualified applicant summary, while you keep lease execution.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you reject an applicant for having a housing voucher?
Can you deny an applicant for a criminal record?
Do you offer standalone screening if I handle my own leasing?
What happens if an applicant is denied?
Is screening included in full-service management?
Stop managing.
Start owning.
Free 15-minute call. No obligation, no sales pitch.
Or call (240) 580-8581 · [email protected]