Don't just pull a credit score. VerticalRent's AI Risk Score synthesizes credit, criminal, eviction, and rental history into a single 0–100 score with a plain-English explanation of exactly what it means.
Rental history screening is always free. No credit card required to start.
Traditional tenant screening gives you raw data: a credit score number, a list of criminal records, a PDF of eviction filings. You're left to interpret it yourself.
The problem is that raw data is misleading without context. A 650 credit score from student loans is very different from a 650 score with three late rent payments. An eviction from 2009 is different from one from 2024.
AI tenant screening synthesizes all of this data simultaneously and produces a single, contextualized risk score — plus a plain-English explanation of exactly why the applicant scored where they did.
Five steps from application to decision-ready insight.
You request a screening report from within the application. You can choose which reports to run — or bundle all four for the most complete picture.
Our screening partner pulls verified data from credit bureaus, national criminal databases, eviction court records, and rental history networks — simultaneously.
The AI reads all four reports in context with each other — not as four separate documents. A criminal record gets weighed differently if the rental history is spotless.
The score runs from 0 (highest risk) to 100 (lowest risk). Score ranges map to risk tiers: 80–100 Low Risk, 60–79 Low-Moderate, 40–59 Moderate, 20–39 High, 0–19 Very High.
The AI explains every factor that moved the score up or down, and provides a clear recommendation: approve, approve with conditions (higher deposit), or decline — with the reasoning a landlord can act on.
The AI weighs six categories. Not all are equal — recency and severity matter.
On-time vs. late payments across credit accounts. Late rent payments are weighted more heavily than late credit card payments.
Any eviction filings or judgments, with recency factored in. An eviction from 2009 is weighted less than one from 2023.
Type of offense, recency, and resolution. Non-violent misdemeanors from 10+ years ago are weighted differently than recent violent felonies.
Verified past addresses, landlord references, and length of tenancy. Stable multi-year tenancies are a strong positive signal.
Standard guideline is 3x rent in gross monthly income. The AI flags applicants below this threshold and notes it in the explanation.
Frequent moves (every 6–12 months) can indicate instability. Long stable tenancies are a strong positive indicator.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act governs how you can use consumer reports in housing decisions. VerticalRent was built with FCRA compliance at its core — not as an afterthought.
The AI Risk Score is a decision-support tool. Under FCRA, the landlord makes the final housing decision. VerticalRent's interface is designed to keep that distinction clear.
When you decline an applicant after running a screening report, VerticalRent automatically generates the FCRA-required adverse action notice with all required disclosures.
Every screening action is timestamped and audit-logged with permissible purpose (tenant_screening). This protects you in the event of a compliance dispute.
Applicants must provide electronic FCRA consent before any screening reports are pulled. Consent timestamp is stored and available for your records.
Note: VerticalRent is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. If you have specific questions about FCRA compliance for your situation, consult a qualified attorney. All screening is conducted with permissible purpose as defined under 15 U.S.C. § 1681b.
Run individual reports or bundle all four for the most complete AI risk assessment. Applicants can pay directly — you don't have to.
| Report | Free Plan | Starter | Growth | Portfolio | Applicant-Pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal Background | $7.50 | $7.50 | $7.50 | $7.50 | ✓ |
| Credit Report | N/A | N/A | $8.00 | $8.00 | ✓ |
| Eviction Search | $12.00 | $10.00 | $8.00 | $8.00 | ✓ |
| Rental History | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | — |
AI Risk Score synthesis (+10 AI credits) is available when two or more reports are ordered together.
An AI tenant risk score is a single 0–100 number that synthesizes credit history, criminal background, eviction records, and rental history simultaneously. VerticalRent's AI also provides a plain-English explanation of every factor, so you understand exactly why an applicant scored where they did.
Yes. The AI Risk Score is a decision-support tool — you make the final housing decision. Every screening action is audit-logged. FCRA adverse action notices are generated automatically when required. Applicant FCRA consent is captured before any reports are pulled.
The AI Risk Score is based on verified data from credit bureaus and national screening databases — the same underlying data used by professional property managers. The AI synthesizes real data, it doesn't guess.
No. Under FCRA, you make the final housing decision. The AI Risk Score provides information and context to support that decision, but is not a substitute for landlord judgment. VerticalRent generates proper adverse action notices when you decline after screening.
Rental history screening is free. AI Risk Score synthesis costs 10 credits (~$0.13). No credit card required to start.
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