Housing Owners’/Landlords’ Access to Credit Reports

WHAT IS A CREDIT REPORT?

Your credit report includes information about creditworthiness, such as your record of paying bills on time. A credit report will show information dating back 7 years (or 10 years in the case of a bankruptcy), including the following

    history of paying bills and loans on time or record of late payments;
    open accounts and level of indebtedness;
    collection actions;
    bankruptcies or tax liens; and
    civil court judgments, including housing-related court actions filed by a previous landlord that may or may not have led to a past eviction.

HOWEVER, a credit report does NOT include criminal history information like a tenant report would.

HELPFUL HINT:

If you are looking for a rental, it is best to check your credit reports before the PHA or owner does—so you know what they will find. You can go online and order FREE credit reports from the three national credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. If there’s an error, it’s a good idea to file a dispute with the bureau rather than try to explain it at the last minute.

WHO CAN ACCESS MY CREDIT REPORT?

Anyone who is evaluating your ability to pay for housing can order your credit report in California. That means that private owners, PHAs, AND owners of government-assisted housing can order a credit report to see if you have good credit and will be a reliable tenant.

DOES MY CONSISTENTLY PAYING RENT ON TIME IN THE PAST HELP MY CREDIT STANDING?

Maybe, but most likely not. The companies that collect information about your credit standing are only just beginning to collect this information in a systematized way.

A credit report will show whether or not you’ve ever been evicted, your ability to pay credit card bills, utility bills, and other bills on time, and any success you’ve had paying back loans.[1412]

CAN SOMEONE FIND OUT ABOUT PAST LATE PAYMENTS ON RENT FROM A CREDIT REPORT?

Maybe. Generally, late rent payments are not a part of your credit history unless the landlord or management company is reporting them. If the matter was referred to a collection agency or a civil court (like eviction case started against you), it is possible it would show up on your credit report.

  1. 1412

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, What is a Credit Report?, http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/309/what-is-a-credit-report.html. ↑