Looking for the perfect home to rent can be hard. Paying for background or screening checks for each place you apply to can quickly add up, which is why a new law looks to make a reusable screening report you can use over and over again.
"At the beginning, it was fun searching for homes," said Maria Dolores Cuenca Carrara, a renter in San Diego. "There were a lot of options, but there were more people looking than there were options."
She tried to get a jump on the other possible renters by paying for a background screening. The website said it could save her money, but she said no one used it.
"Everyone was telling me they wanted their own application, they have a different company helping them," said Cuenca.
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This new law could face the exact same challenge. It takes effect in January and gives renters a third-party option for reusable screening reports. That report could be used as many times as needed over 30 days, which could save families hundreds of dollars.
The report would include:
- Renter's Name
- Contact Information
- Eviction History
- Employment
- Rental History
- Last known address
You won't be able to tamper with the report's contents but you can dispute any errors. These reports are voluntary for a complex to accept.
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"Conceptually this is not a bad idea," said Lucinda Lilley with the Southern California Rental Housing Association. "Renters are having a very difficult time finding housing."
The SCRHA opposed the new law, and said they fought for changes and to make it voluntary. They say many landlords may not accept the reports.
"The problem with the bill is that it doesn't provide the framework that's necessary," said Lilley. "We'd love to process rental applications more quickly."
Lilley says the reports need to include a credit report and a criminal background check, and must explain how someone's employment was verified.
Maryland and Washington have already passed laws for reusable rental screenings. Each of those screenings includes a credit report and criminal history.
