Below is a list of the most commonly asked questions.
Tenant Screening
RealSerious tenant screening accounts do not require any fees to register. If you wish to set up a professional
account, you must pay for a one-time inspection of your office unless you are an IRS approved 501(c)3 or
government entity. The inspection ($75) is performed by an independent agent approved by the credit bureau.
Professional tenant screening account holders must identity themselves using their SSN or EIN (this does not affect
your credit report). If you do not wish to provide your tax ID#, you may use our RealSerious account (the best tenant
screening service available to landlords and real estate professionals without an inspection).
Professional results are delivered instantly in real time 24 hours a day. However, some results requiring a court
researcher or government repository, may take a few business days to receive. RealSerious accounts are usually
delivered within seconds of the applicant verifying their identity, but sometimes there may be a delay for certain
jurisdictions or common names.
Absolutely – that’s part of our job at no extra cost to you. If you ever have a question or need assistance, contact
us. And if it’s after hours and important, use our secure contact form.
We do not accept payments from tenants. However, it is very common for landlords to charge the tenant an application
fee. This is usually collected upfront and can ranges anywhere from $0 to $75+ depending on your local area.
Landlords should not have to worry about the screening costs associated with finding the right tenant. This is an
expense typically covered by the applicant.
You don’t have to worry about being inspected unless you want to set up a professional account. Inspections are
required by the major credit bureaus and are conducting by an independent agent. This person will set up an
appointment to meet with you at your primary office to take photographs and ask you a few basic questions to
corroborate the nature of the business.
Yes, our standard account offers the option to personalize your own residential lease agreement and/or rental
application from within your landlord control panel. It’s free to try out our form builder, edit, and then preview
as many times as you like. If you decide you want to save a final copy, there is a minimal charge.
If your applicant is not a U.S. citizen and doesn’t have a social security number, then you will be unable to screen
their consumer credit information. However, we can offer suggestions and tips in situations such as these; just give
us a call. We can also provide eviction searches and criminal background checks for those that have lived in a U.S.
territory.
Employee Screening
In order to pull an employee’s credit report, you must register for a Professional Employee Screening Account which
requires supporting business documentation and a one-time inspection ($75) of your office.
Usually, no. The only time there would be a setup fee is if you needed to obtain an employee’s credit report which
requires an onsite inspection fee as stated above.
Employer accounts are given online access to real time results 24 hours a day. However, research services can take a
few days to receive. These include reports like DMV driving records from the state and criminal records requiring a
physical search of county courthouse records.
Unlike the rental screening industry, prospective employees are not charged an application fee to apply for a job.
However, some employers do charge the employee just for the actual cost of the background check.
We do not offer access to medical records. Due to the sensitive nature and overwhelming regulations regarding the use
of such products, we choose not to provide access to that information. We suggest contacting your insurance agent for
guidance on how to screen for worker compensation concerns.
