Tenant screening reports: your rights under federal law
What tenant screening reports contain, how long evictions and judgments can stay, your FCRA rights to a notice, free copy and dispute, and a dispute checklist.
8 min read · Updated
A tenant screening report is a background file a landlord buys about you, which can combine your credit report, eviction and court records, criminal history, identity checks and a risk score. Because these companies are consumer reporting agencies under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have the right to be told when a report was used against you, to get a free copy, and to dispute anything wrong.
Errors are common enough that the CFPB warns inaccurate or outdated information can significantly interfere with finding housing. This guide shows what can be in the file, how long it can stay, and exactly how to challenge it.
At a glance
- Free copy after a denial
- Ask within 60 days
- From the company that made the report
- Investigation deadline
- Generally 30 days
- Sometimes 45; some states shorter
- Evictions and judgments
- Generally 7 years
- Judgments longer if the statute of limitations is
- Bankruptcies
- Up to 10 years
- Criminal convictions
- No federal time limit
- NYC limits what landlords may consider
What a tenant screening report can include
According to the CFPB, these reports may contain:
- Credit reports (accounts, payment history, collections)
- Rental history, including eviction actions and lawsuits
- Employment and income verification
- Criminal history
- Sex offender registry checks
- National terrorist watchlist results
- A risk score or recommendation based on the landlord's chosen criteria
A plain credit report only covers credit activity. A screening report is broader, and the "recommendation" may be the only thing the leasing agent actually reads. That's why a single mismatched record can sink an application. See apartment credit checks for the credit side.
Who the screening companies are
According to the CFPB, most screening companies won't have information on you unless you apply for rental housing or otherwise authorize a landlord to get a report from them. The CFPB keeps a public list of consumer reporting companies with a tenant screening section. Companies listed there in 2025 include AmRent, AppFolio, CIC, Experian RentBureau, First Advantage, LeasingDesk Screening and RentGrow, among others. Several say they will provide one free report every 12 months if you request it; check each company's entry for its current offer and how to request. Your adverse action notice names the company your landlord actually used.
How long can information stay?
| Type of record | How long it can generally be reported |
|---|---|
| Eviction court cases | Up to 7 years |
| Civil lawsuits and judgments | 7 years, or until the statute of limitations runs out if longer |
| Bankruptcies | Up to 10 years |
| Landlord debt discharged in bankruptcy | Up to 10 years |
| Arrests | 7 years from entry, unless a longer statute of limitations applies |
| Criminal convictions | No federal time limit (state and city rules may limit use) |
| Sealed or expunged records | Should not appear |
Your rights when a report is used against you
"Adverse action" is broader than a flat denial. It includes approving you only with a co-signer, a larger deposit or higher rent than other applicants. When a landlord takes adverse action based even partly on a consumer report, the FTC says the notice must include:
- The name, address and phone number of the reporting company that supplied the report.
- A statement that the reporting company did not make the decision and can't explain why it was made.
- Your right to a free copy of the report if you ask within 60 days.
- Your right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of what the company reported.
- If a credit score was used: the score, a description of it, and the key factors that hurt it.
The notice can be written, oral or electronic. Ask for it in writing if you didn't get one.
What to look for in your report
The CFPB suggests checking for these specific problems, and for any record that simply isn't yours:
- Evictions: the final outcome is shown (for example, "dismissed"), one case isn't listed several times for different stages, and sealed cases don't appear.
- Criminal records: felonies and misdemeanors are labeled correctly, one case isn't split into several charges, and sealed or expunged records don't appear.
- Judgments: the amount reflects what you've paid.
- Credit: no debts that belong to someone else, and no paid debts shown as owed.
How to dispute a tenant screening report, step by step
- 1
Get the report
Ask the landlord for the copy they used, and request your free copy from the screening company named in your notice within 60 days. In New York, a landlord that charged you a check fee had to give you a copy already. - 2
Mark each error
Circle every wrong or outdated item and note why it is wrong: not me, dismissed, sealed, paid, duplicate, too old. - 3
Gather proof
Court dismissal or sealing orders, satisfaction of judgment, receipts or bank records showing payment, and proof of identity if a record belongs to someone else. - 4
Dispute in writing with the screening company
Use its online form or send a letter by certified mail. Describe each error and include copies, not originals, of your proof. - 5
Dispute with the source too
Send the same dispute to the company or court that supplied the wrong information. A furnisher that finds an error must correct it and tell the reporting companies it sent the data to. For eviction or criminal record errors, you can also contact the court. - 6
Track the deadline
The company generally has 30 days to investigate (sometimes 45). Calendar it and follow up in writing if you hear nothing. - 7
Escalate if needed
Submit a complaint to the CFPB online or at (855) 411-2372. If your FCRA or state-law rights were violated, a lawyer or legal aid group can tell you whether you can sue; deadlines apply.
Sample dispute checklist: what to include
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Your full name, date of birth, current address and contact info | Lets the company find the right file |
| The report or file number and the date of the report | Ties your dispute to the exact report the landlord saw |
| A copy of the report page with each disputed item marked | Removes any doubt about what you’re disputing |
| For each item: what is wrong and what it should say | Companies can decline disputes they consider frivolous, so be specific |
| Copies of proof (court orders, receipts, ID) | Gives the company evidence to correct the record |
| A clear request: correct, update or delete | States the result you expect |
| The landlord who denied you and the date | Documents the harm if you need to escalate |
| Date and signature; keep a copy and the certified mail return receipt | Shows when the company received it, which starts the investigation clock |
If you suspect discrimination
Screening can hide illegal reasons. If you think you were turned down because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability, you can file a complaint with HUD. In NYC, refusing applicants who use vouchers or other lawful income is also illegal; see housing discrimination in NYC and source-of-income discrimination.
For the full sequence after a rejection, including reapplying and adding a guarantor, read application denied: what to do next.
Re-checked 2026-10-12: report contents (incl. sex offender registry, terrorist watchlist, risk score) and "significantly interfere" wording against CFPB 2102; time limits (evictions up to 7 yrs, judgments 7 yrs or statute of limitations if longer, bankruptcy and discharged landlord debt up to 10 yrs, no limit for convictions) against CFPB 2104; arrests 7 yrs from entry and the eviction/criminal/judgment/credit checks, furnisher duty to correct and notify, and contacting the court against the CFPB review-your-background-check page; adverse action meaning, 60-day free copy, 30/45-day investigation window, HUD complaints and CFPB phone (855) 411-2372 against CFPB 2105; notice contents, delivery format and score disclosure against FTC landlord guidance; company names, "no information on you unless you apply" and free-report offers against the CFPB 2025 list; RPL 227-f presumption and $500-$1,000 penalty on nysenate.gov; Fair Chance lookbacks and 5 business days against CCHR; Fair Housing Act protected classes against DOJ.
Sources
- What is a tenant screening report? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Review your rental background check · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 12, 2026)
- How long can information stay on my tenant screening record? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 12, 2026)
- What should I do if my rental application is denied because of a tenant screening report? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 12, 2026)
- List of Consumer Reporting Companies (2025) · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Using consumer reports: what landlords need to know · Federal Trade Commission (accessed October 12, 2026)
- How do I dispute an error on my credit report? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Real Property Law § 227-f · New York State Senate (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Fair Chance Housing · NYC Commission on Human Rights (accessed October 12, 2026)
- The Fair Housing Act · U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (accessed October 12, 2026)
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a professional before you act.