FAQs

1. What's the difference between checking "Credit History" and "Credit plus Rental History"?

The most stringent way of checking someone is to select the Credit History tab. This will only take their credit history into account, and they can't get any credit for their employment or job history. If you would like to be a little less stringent in your application process, then you can select the Credit plus Rental History option which will allow the applicant to build up points for both their credit, rental history, and employment.

2. How much does it cost?

It's FREE!

3. What is Accept Decline?

Accept Decline is a web site designed to help landlords assess the credit risk of tenant applicants. Accept Decline provides guidance on the security deposit amount needed to offset an applicant's credit risk based upon information about the applicant submitted through the web site.

4. Does Accept Decline run credit checks?

No. You need an accurate copy of an applicant's credit report for Accept Decline to give you a risk assessment of the applicant.

5. How does Accept Decline compare to credit checking services?

Accept Decline does not check credit, it helps you use the information contained in an applicant's credit report in deciding whether or not to rent to the applicant. Other sites use statistics to assess the risk of a tenant applicant. l The assessment is based upon how many people were evicted with the same credit as the applicant. The computer searches a database of evictions and credit history for data relating to the applicant and compares the search results to the statistical norm.

Accept Decline uses a very different approach. Accept Decline takes into account the fact that many people are not evicted; yet they leave owing rent which is never reported to any credit bureau and thus, this information is not a contained in any database and cannot be compared to a statistical norm. Accept Decline uses a formula with the goal of maximizing the landlord's income and minimizing the risk associated with a particular applicant. Because deciding whether or not to accept a tenant often is not a simple YES or NO answer, Accept Decline suggests using the security deposit as a means of balancing the credit risk associated with an applicant taking into account, among other things, the rent amount of the unit to be rented.

6. What do I need to use Accept Decline?

At a minimum ,you need a credit report for each applicant you want to assess. You can submit information about an applicant's current employment and up to 3 years of their residential history. Please note, that the risk that Accept Decline assigns to an applicant is only as good as the accuracy of the information that you provide.

7. How can I be sure the information I provide Accept Decline is accurate?

First, know who you are dealing with. Ask the applicant to show you a valid driver's license or other picture ID to verify that they are the person who they say they are.

Second, be sure to provide the credit reporting company the correct name and spelling for the applicant. If the applicant is a Jr. or Sr., you should inform the credit reporting company so it provides you with the correct credit report.

Third, be sure that you are speaking with the right person when confirming the applicant's references. An applicant may provide you with a friend's telephone number instead of providing the telephone number for their employer. To verify the applicant's employment, obtain the employer's phone number from directory assistance or the phone book, and ask to speak with the Human Resources department. To verify an applicant's residential information, go to the address and obtain the telephone number for the landlord or management company from the sign posted in front of the building. Alternatively, you can try to obtain the phone number for the apartment community or management company from directory assistance or the phone book..

8. Who should use accept decline?

Anybody who owns or manages property that is rentable!! Even if you already use another company to check tenant credit applications, or you do it yourself, Accept Decline is a great second opinion!

9. How Does Accept Decline Work?

Accept Decline assigns positive or negative point values to the information about an applicant that you provide and then comes out with a risk assessment of the applicant based upon this information.

10. What does Accept Decline do with the information used to assess applicant's?

Please refer to our Privacy Policy.