FAQs

1. What’s the difference between checking “Credit History” and “Credit plus Rental History”?

There are 2 ways to process your applicant(s). The first choice is credit only. This gives the applicant the least opportunity to be accepted since they can’t build up points for their employment or residential history. If you want to base your decision primarily based on their credit report, then you should use this choice. If you want to be more thorough, then you should select “Credit plus Rental History” This allows the applicant to build up points for 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 and unlawful detainer (UD) report for Accept Decline to give you a risk assessment of the applicant.

5. How does Accept Decline work?

Accept Decline helps you use the information contained in an applicant’s credit and unlawful detainer (UD) report in deciding whether or not to rent to the applicant. 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 and unlawful detainer (UD) 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 government issued photo ID to verify 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 or relative’s phone number instead of providing the telephone number for their employer or resident manager. To verify the applicants employment, google the employers name, and see what comes up. If nothing comes up, you can try directory assistance or the phone book. Once you get into contact with their employment, you should verify through their personnel or Human Resources department. I think the best way to verify an applicant’s residential information is go to the address(s) they list on their application, and if it is an apartment building, then copy down the phone number of the management company on the sign in front of the building. If there is no sign, or the applicant lives in a house or private residence, you should google the apartment community or management company, and use that phone number or email address to speak with their landlord. If you can’t find the information on the internet, then you can try directory assistance or the phone book.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to speak with a previous landlord, as they are more likely to tell you the truth as to what kind of person or tenant the applicant is. If the applicant is not a good tenant, and you speak with their current landlord, they may not tell you the truth because they just want to get rid of the person, and they know if they say “this person is a terrible tenant”, no one will accept them, and they will be stuck with this “terrible tenant” longer.

8. What is the Risk Factor?

The Risk Factor simply adjusts the final score to make it either easier or more difficult for your applicant to be accepted. If you press the question mark next to “Risk Factor”, it will tell you how I recommend using the Risk Factor. Please note, if a unit has been vacant a long time, instead of using a “Lenient” Risk Factor, you may want to lower the price of the unit as that should get you more people interested in the unit.

9. 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!

10. 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.

11. What does Accept Decline do with the information used to assess applicant’s?

Please refer to our Privacy Policy.