Finding a good long-term tenant is one of the most important decisions a landlord makes. A thorough tenant screening process can help reduce the risk of late payments, property damage, lease violations, and costly evictions.
Most landlords understand the importance of checking an applicant's credit, employment, criminal history, eviction history, and residence history. Many also contact current and previous landlords to verify an applicant's rental history.
But there is one critical step in the tenant screening process that many landlords overlook:
Searching local county court records for recent eviction filings.
This extra step can uncover information that may not yet appear on a standard tenant screening report.
Why Standard Tenant Screening Reports May Not Show a Recent Eviction
Most landlords use a professional tenant screening service to obtain reports on prospective renters. These reports commonly include information such as:
Credit history
Eviction history
Criminal background information
Other public-record information
These reports can be extremely useful, but landlords shouldn't assume they contain every recent court filing.
One of the biggest potential gaps is a recent eviction filing.
If an applicant's current landlord has just filed an eviction case, that filing may not immediately appear on a screening report. There can be a delay between when an eviction is filed with the court and when the information becomes available through a screening provider or other reporting system.
That creates a potential problem for landlords.
An applicant could have an eviction case filed against them while simultaneously applying for another rental property — and a standard eviction report might not yet show it.
Why Landlords Should Search County Court Records
This is why a local eviction records search can be an important final step before approving a rental application.
County court records may reveal a recently filed eviction case that hasn't yet appeared on the applicant's screening report.
Think about the timing:
An applicant is currently facing an eviction.
They know they need somewhere else to live.
They submit an application for your rental property.
You run a standard background and eviction check, and nothing concerning appears.
You contact the applicant's current landlord, and you receive a positive rental reference.
Everything appears to check out.
But if an eviction was filed only recently, there may be another story hiding in the local court records.
A Real-World Example of Why This Matters
We recently had an applicant who appeared to meet all of our qualifications to rent one of our homes.
The applicant passed our normal screening process. We reviewed the available reports and contacted the applicant's current landlord for a rental reference.
Nothing raised an obvious red flag.
However, before approving the application, we performed one final step: we searched the local county court records for an eviction filing.
That's when we found something important.
An eviction had just been filed against the applicant.
The eviction report from the screening service did not show the eviction. The applicant's current landlord had also provided a positive rental reference.
The information on the application concerning the landlord appeared to be fraudulent.
Had we skipped the county records search, we may never have discovered the newly filed eviction case.
Instead, we were able to identify the issue before approving the applicant.
Don't Rely on Just One Tenant Screening Report
A professional tenant screening service is an important tool for landlords, but it shouldn't necessarily be the only tool you use.
A strong tenant screening process should involve multiple layers of verification.
For example, landlords may consider:
Verify the applicant's identity.
Review the applicant's credit history.
Check available eviction and court records.
Conduct a criminal background check where legally permitted.
Verify employment and income.
Contact current and previous landlords.
Verify the landlord's identity and contact information independently.
Search local county records for recent eviction filings.
Compare information across the application, screening reports, and references.
The goal isn't simply to collect reports.
The goal is to verify that the information provided by the applicant is accurate and consistent.
Pay Attention to Inconsistencies
One of the most valuable parts of tenant screening is comparing information from different sources.
For example, suppose an applicant says they have lived at their current property for two years and provides a landlord's phone number.
The screening report shows no eviction history.
The landlord gives the applicant a glowing reference.
At first glance, everything looks good.
But a county court search shows a recently filed eviction involving the applicant.
That's a major inconsistency that deserves further investigation.
Landlords should never ignore discrepancies simply because an applicant passed a standard screening report.
A Thorough Screening Process Can Help Protect Your Rental Property
No tenant screening process can guarantee that you'll never have a problem tenant.
However, thorough screening can help landlords make more informed rental decisions and potentially avoid applicants who present significant warning signs.
The key is to avoid treating a single screening report as the final answer.
Use the screening report as one piece of the puzzle.
Verify the applicant's rental history. Verify their income. Check the information they provide. And, where permitted and appropriate, review local court records for recent eviction filings.
Make County Court Records Part of Your Screening Process
If you are a landlord who wants to find good, long-term tenants, don't overlook the importance of searching local county records before approving a rental application.
A recent eviction filing may not yet appear on a standard eviction report.
Taking a few additional minutes to check the appropriate county court records could uncover information that otherwise goes unnoticed.
The best tenant screening process isn't just about running a report. It's about verifying the applicant's story from multiple sources.
That extra diligence could save you from approving an applicant who becomes a costly problem tenant.
Important Legal Note for Landlords
Tenant screening must comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including fair housing and consumer-reporting requirements. Landlords should use consistent screening criteria for every applicant and understand the rules governing the use of eviction, criminal, credit, and other background information in their jurisdiction.
