|
President’s Letter
Welcome, and thank you for reading the new year’s first issue of RentGrow's newsletter, "In the Know." We look forward to providing you with tips and strategies for ensuring you have the best resident base possible. If there’s a topic you’d like to see us cover in future newsletters, please drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Mike Lapsley, CEO
RentGrow, Inc.
Quick Links
RentGrow’s TotalScreen® Address Search (pdf)
The RentGrow Difference
Contact Us
Testimonials
"RentGrow's credit checks are thorough and because we can access them via the Web we get the results quickly. Because of RentGrow, I've lowered my bad debt to .3 percent, and because of their consistency I'm able to abide by fair housing standards."
- Jay Ingram, Vice President
Drees Company, Erlanger, KY, 3,000 Units
"RentGrow really understands our business. They’re flexible--a vendor that really is a partner throughout our operation."
- Robert Leniart, Managing Director
Sentinel Real Estate Corporation, New York, NY, 50,000 Units
"We couldn't be happier with the level of service that we receive from RentGrow. Their support, training and quick response makes a huge difference in our day-to-day business and on our bottom line. When they say they believe in collaboration, it's not just empty words and promises. They really do understand what we need and they're proactive about making recommendations."
- Sonja D. Horn, HCCP, SHCM, Regulatory Director
SPM, Inc., Birmingham, AL, 14,859 Units | | |
|
January 2008 Issue
RentGrow "In the Know"
Do You Know Who Your Residents Are?
Tips on Criminal Screening
While the subject of "criminal screening" may sound cold or even offensive to some applicants, it’s important to remember this: whether property owner or resident, we all want safe and peaceful places to live. In the multi-family industry, criminal screening has become one of the most important components in accomplishing this goal. Criminal screening protects your residents and your property. It’s a key marketing point to let applicants know that they’ll be living in a safe environment. And, in some cases, you may need to conduct criminal screening to comply with state and federal regulations.
However, this sort of screening--unlike credit checks--is still in its infancy. So how do you know if your criminal screening policy is effective, yet fair and consistent? Consider the following tips.
- Carefully define your criminal criteria. Determine what offenses are unacceptable. For example, you may identify specific types of misdemeanors, such as those that are violent towards people, or felony convictions within the last 5-10 years. Contact RentGrow for additional criteria information.
- Educate yourself on discrimination laws. This site is a great resource. Remember, look only at the records. Don’t make assumptions based on things like a name or a personal characteristic that someone may or may not be a criminal. Consistency protects you, so treat all applicants equally. For example, you can’t reject someone based on a criminal screening if you’re not screening everyone. Make sure your policies are documented and that they fall within any federal, state, or county guidelines.
- Verify that you have the right applicant. You should always verify the applicant’s identity before you even begin the process of criminal screening (or credit checks). For example, say your applicant’s name is Chris Smith. While your applicant might be female, the record that comes up might be for a male. Methods for verifying an applicant’s identity include checking government-issued IDs, such as drivers’ licenses, social security cards, or passports. Cross checking can also be valuable. At RentGrow, we can cross check references (pdf) before you even see the records at your request. We also offer TotalScreen® Address Search (pdf) so you can learn about their identity instantly.
- Streamline the criminal screening process through a third party, such as RentGrow. Set specifications with your screening partner to filter results based on your specific criteria. This helps take the burden off your leasing agents and lets them focus on the job they do best—attracting residents.
- Look beyond the data. Choose a screening partner who can help you interpret results and whose service provides a recommendation to accept or decline the applicant.
- Keep in mind that for affordable properties, certain rules exist for resident selection:
- Owners must develop and make public written selection policies.
- The plan must include any preferences in the admission of residents.
- The restriction or preference must cite the supporting documents to ensure nondiscrimination.
- If you handle the criminal screening process in-house, use consistent staffing and follow consistent procedures:
- Limit access to staff who have been fully trained in order to eliminate inconsistencies.
- Provide written, step-by-step instructions for staff to ensure consistency.
- Use standard forms so that each applicant is subject to the same practices and will receive the same consideration.
- Use objective criteria.
- Follow a formal written process for collecting information. Owners should be careful about informal information "gossip" about an applicant. Such information is discriminatory and will affect applicants inconsistently, since the owner does not collect this for all applicants.
Remember, information collected from the criminal screening process enables property owners to make informed and objective decisions. An effective screening policy will also ensure fair, consistent, and equal treatment of applicants. Last, but certainly not least, criminal screening will help create a safe place for residents to live--and peace of mind for you.
© 2008, RentGrow, Inc., Resident Screening Experts. For permission to reprint this article or to sign up to receive "In The Know," send an email to newsletter@rentgrow.com.
If you have additional questions about criminal screening policies or any other aspects of your resident screening strategy you can contact RentGrow at www.rentgrow.com,
1-800-RENTGROW (1-800-736-8476). | | |
