

Ritesh
Updated · May 28, 2023
Updated · May 12, 2023
Ritesh Kumar has a seemingly deep obsession with anything web, tech and SEO (in no particular order)... | See full bio
First-time landlords quickly learn they need a thorough screening process to ensure they pick a responsible applicant who will take care of the property.
But how are tenant screening and background check different? First of all, a background check is the umbrella term for any investigation of a person’s past. Conversely, a tenant screening is a specific type of check designed to evaluate prospective tenants.
Below, we review everything they include and when to use them!
When used in its broad term, a background check signifies screening for all sorts of purposes, from checking employee qualifications to verifying loan and tenant eligibility. When done thoroughly, background checks include any or all of the following information:
Common situations that require a background check include finding a lost relative or friend, checking out a potential date or professional interest, applying for a job, apartment, or a loan, purchasing a firearm, and even undergoing a medical procedure.
Furthermore, background checks are separated into several types depending on their purpose, each focusing on a specific aspect of a person’s past. For example, landlords only need to verify a tenant will respect the property and pay rent on time.
Landlords use tenant screenings to verify the suitability of potential candidates to rent their property. Therefore, these types of checks focus on the following aspects:
As you can see, the difference between a tenant screening and a background check is in the scope and focus of the conducted research. While tenant screenings focus on the applicant’s financial history, background checks cover every aspect of a person’s past.
If you are unsure how to complete the tenant screening process, go through our thorough guide covering everything from legal considerations to applicable prices, or hire an experienced tenant screening service who can do the job for you for a minor fee.
As evident from the previous sections, background checks are used by individuals, employers, and government agencies for all sorts of purposes, from verifying a person’s identity and past behavior to confirming their eligibility for a product or a job.
On the other hand, tenant screenings are a very focused type of check needed to confirm whether or not prospective tenants can care for the property, pay rent regularly, obey the law, and fulfill any other stipulations of their renting contract.
Ultimately, the tenant screening and background check difference relates to the extent and purpose of the investigation. Namely, tenant screenings are a distinct type of background check conducted to verify a tenant’s viability to rent a property respectfully. In contrast, the generic term ‘background check’ covers every type of check into a person’s past.
Ritesh
Ritesh Kumar has a seemingly deep obsession with anything web, tech and SEO (in no particular order). He has more than five years of experience in the background check industry, promoting and collaborating with all the major brands in the space. He is currently the co-founder of LookupAPlate.com - A free tool to report bad drivers and look up license plates. Talk to him about Google algorithmic updates, and he can go on and on till the sheep come home.
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