How DoorLoop Simplifies Tenant Screening: Step-by-Step Guide

You’ve already taken the first step by choosing DoorLoop to manage your properties. But are you fully unlocking DoorLoop's potential?

Tenant screening and rental applications are two powerful features within DoorLoop that can save you time, reduce risk, and help you secure the best tenants for your properties.

By streamlining these critical processes, DoorLoop equips you with the tools you need to protect your investments and make confident, informed decisions.

Now is the time to unlock these features and elevate your property management to the next level. This guide will show you exactly how DoorLoop simplifies rental applications and tenant screening, empowering you to get started today.

Why Tenant Screening and Rental Applications Matter

Finding the right tenants can make or break your rental business. The process of screening applicants ensures you’re choosing responsible individuals who will pay rent on time, take care of your property, and follow lease agreements.

With DoorLoop, you can take the guesswork out of tenant selection by using two powerful tools: customizable rental applications and automated tenant screening.

Key reasons tenant screening and rental applications are crucial:

• Reduce Risk: Avoid costly evictions and property damage by vetting applicants thoroughly.
• Save Time: Streamline decision-making with structured applications and automated screenings.
• Ensure Compliance: Follow Fair Housing laws with a transparent and standardized process.

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How to Screen Tenants: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Set your requirements

Before screening applicants, define your rental criteria to ensure consistency and reduce risk. Common checks include:

• Income: Set a minimum income-to-rent ratio.
• References: Verify landlord and employment history.
• Credit history: Prioritize applicants with scores above your threshold, such as 650.
• Evictions and criminal history: Screen for past issues.

Tailor these criteria to fit your property and concerns. For example, prioritize high-income tenants or those with strong references. Clear thresholds simplify the tenant screening process.

2. Conduct Pre-Screening with Rental Ads

Make your rental criteria clear in your ads to help pre-screen applicants. By stating requirements upfront, prospective tenants can self-screen, saving you time and reducing unqualified applications.

Ensure your application collects all necessary details for thorough screening, such as:

• Basic contact information
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Current employer and income
• Rental history and reason for leaving
• Pet and smoking details
• Criminal background
• References

Clear and detailed ads and applications streamline the pre-screening process and attract qualified applicants.

3. Run Credit and Background Checks

Once applications are submitted, use tenant-screening software to run credit and background checks quickly and efficiently. These tools provide comprehensive reports on an applicant’s financial, rental, and criminal history in minutes.

DoorLoop integrates SmartMove to streamline this process. SmartMove predicts evictions up to 15% more effectively than standard credit reports, helping you make better decisions faster.

4. Verify Employment and Rental References

After reviewing credit and background checks, contact the applicant’s employer and previous landlords to confirm key details. This step can uncover critical information that reports may miss, such as recent job loss or poor rental history.

Verifying references ensures you have a complete picture of the applicant, helping you make more informed decisions and avoid potential issues.

5. Speak with Prospective Tenants

As a final step, connect with applicants directly—either in person or via a call. This helps confirm their identity and gives you a chance to assess their demeanor.

This conversation can also clarify any questionable details in their application. For instance, a poor mark might have a reasonable explanation. Use this opportunity to ensure the tenant aligns with your expectations before making a decision.

Customizable Rental Applications with DoorLoop: The Foundation of Tenant Screening

Rental applications are your first opportunity to collect the information you need to evaluate potential tenants. With DoorLoop, you can customize your applications to fit your specific requirements, making the process efficient and thorough.

What You Can Do with DoorLoop’s Rental Applications

Get started in a matter of seconds: Easily share your listings with prospects using the "sharable link" from your dashboard. This link directs applicants to a dedicated site displaying all your available properties. From there, applicants can simply select the rental they’re interested in and start their application instantly.

‍Automated Workflow: Prospective tenants can submit applications, pay fees, and initiate TransUnion SmartMove background checks online, streamlining the process without manual intervention.

Setting up rental applications in DoorLoop starts with your company-level settings, which act as the default for all your properties. Check out this article on configuring your company rental application settings.

Customizable Settings: DoorLoop lets you tailor rental applications at both the company and property levels. You can adjust application fees, include specific questions, and set requirements. DoorLoop recommends the All-in-One Solution.

Effortless Configuration: You can easily mark units as open for applications and share application links via email, text, or your website, simplifying the process for both you and prospective tenants.

Testing Made Easy: Preview and test your rental applications directly from your dashboard. With just a click, you can see the application exactly as your prospects will, allowing you to make edits and customize it to fit your needs before it goes live.

Automated Tenant Screening: Vet Applicants With Confidence

Once rental applications are submitted, tenant screening takes the process to the next level. DoorLoop integrates credit checks, eviction history, and criminal background reports directly into your workflow, allowing you to make informed decisions quickly and easily.

How DoorLoop simplifies tenant screening:

• Comprehensive Reports: Access detailed screening results, including credit scores, eviction records, and criminal history, powered by TransUnion SmartMove.

• Streamlined Process: Request and review screening reports with just a few clicks—no need for external tools or manual follow-ups.
• Fair Housing Compliance: Ensure consistency and legality in your screening process with standardized tools that align with Fair Housing laws

TransUnion sets the reports to expire after 60 days, so be sure to review and save them before they disappear. You can also download the reports and upload them to the lease in DoorLoop to keep them indefinitely.

Unlock DoorLoop's Full Potential

DoorLoop’s rental applications and tenant screening tools are designed to save you time, reduce risk, and help you find the best tenants for your properties. By automating and simplifying these essential processes, you’ll streamline your workflow and make smarter decisions for your rentals. These powerful tools are just a few clicks away!