Your tenant fills out a one-page form with a pen. You snap a photo with your phone. Our AI reads it and runs criminal & eviction checks instantly.
Perfect for HUD landlords, Section 8 housing, and tenants who aren't tech-savvy. No e-invites, no digital forms, no portal signups required.
No tech skills needed. If you can take a photo with your phone, you can run a background check.
Get our free 1-page rental application with built-in FCRA authorization language. Print a stack and keep them in your car.
Hand the paper form to your prospective tenant. They fill in their info and sign the background check authorization — with a pen.
Take a clear photo of the completed, signed application with your phone. That's all you need.
Open VerticalRent, tap "Ask John", attach the photo, and type "Run a background check." John reads the form and runs the report.
Criminal and eviction checks only need a name, date of birth, and signed authorization. No SSN required. No online portal for the tenant.
Credit reports require online identity verification
Due to federal regulations, credit reports require the applicant to verify their identity online. Criminal and eviction checks can be run from the signed paper authorization alone — no computer needed for the tenant.
Your Applicant Has Rights Under the FCRA
Right to a copy of the report: Your applicant has the right to request a copy of any consumer report used to make a leasing decision. They can email support@screenforgelabs.com to request a copy, or you can provide it to them directly.
Adverse action notice required: If you decide to deny an applicant based in whole or in part on information found in a criminal or eviction background check, federal law requires you to provide them with an adverse action notice. This notice must include the name and contact information of the reporting agency (VerticalRent / ScreenForge Labs LLC), a statement that the agency did not make the decision, and the applicant's right to dispute the accuracy of the report and obtain a free copy within 60 days.
VerticalRent automatically generates adverse action notices for you when you deny an applicant through the platform. If you're using the paper application workflow, make sure you still provide written notice to the applicant if you decline them based on screening results.
See exactly what it costs before you sign up.
Includes FCRA-compliant authorization language that allows you to legally run criminal and eviction background checks. Print a stack and keep them ready for showings.
If you rent to tenants receiving housing assistance through HUD, Section 8 vouchers, or other government housing programs, you know the reality: many of your prospective tenants don't have reliable internet access, a computer, or the tech skills to fill out a digital rental application. That doesn't mean you should skip screening. Criminal background checks and eviction history searches protect you and your property — and they only need a name, date of birth, and signed authorization to run.
Not every tenant has a smartphone with an email address. Not every tenant is going to click an e-invite link, create an account, and fill out a digital form. For landlords who rent to elderly tenants, recently relocated individuals, or anyone who prefers doing business face-to-face, a paper rental application is still the most practical way to collect information. VerticalRent bridges the gap: your tenant fills out a paper form, and our AI-powered assistant reads the photo and runs the background check for you.
With a signed paper authorization, you can legally run:
What you cannot run from a paper application alone:
For most small landlords renting affordable housing, criminal and eviction checks provide the due diligence you need before handing over the keys.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that you have a "permissible purpose" and the applicant's written consent before ordering any background check. Our downloadable rental application includes the required authorization language. When the applicant signs the form, they're giving you legal permission to run criminal and eviction checks through VerticalRent. We log the consent in our FCRA audit trail when you submit the photo to Ask John.
Important: If you deny a rental application based on information found in a background check, you are required by law to provide the applicant with an adverse action notice. This notice must include the name of the consumer reporting agency (VerticalRent / ScreenForge Labs LLC), a statement that the agency did not make the rental decision, and the applicant's right to dispute the report and receive a free copy within 60 days. Your applicant can also request a copy of the report at any time by emailing support@screenforgelabs.com.
Ask John is VerticalRent's AI assistant, built on Anthropic's Claude. When you attach a photo of a completed rental application, John uses computer vision to read the handwritten or printed text. He extracts the applicant's name, date of birth, and other details, then confirms with you before running the background check. The entire process takes about 30 seconds from photo to results.
Sign up free. Download the paper application. Snap a photo after your next showing. Know who you're renting to before you hand over the keys.
Already have an account? Open Ask John and attach your paper application to get started.