Tenant Scoring System Spreadsheet
Download REI Grove’s tenant scoring system template to compare rental applicants by consistent screening criteria, including income, rent payment history, landlord recommendations, employment information, credit score, bankruptcy history, and eviction history.
Key Takeaways
- A tenant scoring system can be used to evaluate rental applicants using the same standards.
- Consistent screening criteria can reduce confusion and support fairer, more objective applicant comparisons.
- By using this template, landlords can compare applicants more clearly while keeping tenant screening focused on rental-related qualifications.
- REI Grove’s tenant scoring system template is organized around applicant information, income level, past rent payments, landlord recommendation, and other relevant tenant information.
Creating a Tenant Scoring System
Tenant screening is arguably one of the top factors that make or break a rental business. It’s critical for landlords to carefully evaluate applicants based on well thought-out criteria and defined standards. But what do those criteria and standards look like?
Naturally, what makes a prospective tenant a good fit for a rental property will vary from landlord to landlord. The most important thing is that your tenant screening process is consistent for every applicant. Otherwise, you risk fair housing accusations, fines, and even worse legal trouble.
A tenant scoring system can help you keep screening consistent, fair, and straightforward. Tenant scoring systems involve assigning point values to various tenant screening criteria (like credit score, income level, etc.) as a method of objectively comparing rental applicants. Even if you use a tenant screening service, implementing a scoring system on top of it can help you compare otherwise similarly qualified candidates.
Tenant Scoring System Template at a Glance
| Template Section | What It Tracks | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1: Applicant Information | Applicant name and identifying details. | Keeps each applicant’s scoring profile organized. |
| Section 2: Income Level | Whether income meets the rent threshold. | Helps landlords assess rent affordability. |
| Section 3: Past Rent Payments | Prior rent payment behavior. | Shows whether the applicant has paid rent reliably in the past. |
| Section 4: Landlord Recommendation | Prior landlord feedback. | Adds rental history context beyond the application. |
| Section 5: Employment Information | Whether employer and applicant information match. | Helps verify consistency in employment details. |
| Section 6: Credit Score | FICO score range. | Provides a credit-based screening reference. |
| Section 7: Recent Bankruptcy | Bankruptcy history within the last three years. | Helps landlords understand recent financial risk indicators. |
| Section 8: Evictions | Whether the applicant has an eviction history. | Flags a major rental-history concern. |
| Section 9: Total Score and Comparison | Final score and applicant comparison. | Makes it easier to compare multiple applicants side by side. |
Why is Tenant Screening Important?
The biggest benefit to tenant screening is that you are more likely to avoid the costs of evicting a tenant, which can be significant. By taking a careful look at a tenant’s income, credit score, and eviction history, you can get a better understanding of who is likely to be able to pay and who may cause future problems with late or absent payments. You will find these sections—income level, employment information, credit score, and recent bankruptcy—included in our tenant scoring system template.
All the above information about a tenant can be acquired by obtaining a tenant screening report (including a credit report, rental history, and criminal records) and having the tenant complete a rental application with tenant screening questions. To familiarize yourself further with what should go into an effective rental application, read our guide on what to require in a rental application.
A thorough rental application also makes it more likely that you will end up with high-quality tenants who ensure future rental property income and are less likely to cause issues that require maintenance or intervention of any kind.
What Does the Tenant Scoring System Template Cover?
REI Grove’s tenant scoring system template is organized into applicant profiles and reference lists that assign values to rental-related screening criteria. The spreadsheet also includes a comparison area where landlords can review applicant names and scores side by side.
Section 1: Applicant Information
The template begins with space to enter each applicant’s name. This keeps the screening process organized when comparing multiple applicants for the same property.
Section 2: Income Level
The income level section lets landlords score whether an applicant’s income meets the selected rent threshold. The template includes options based on whether income is greater than, equal to, or below three times the monthly rent.
Section 3: Past Rent Payments
The past rent payments section lets landlords consider whether the applicant has a history of paying rent on time. This section can account for applicants who paid on time, paid late occasionally, paid late frequently, paid more than 10 days late, or have never rented before.
Section 4: Landlord Recommendation
The landlord recommendation section lets landlords score prior landlord feedback. This can help add real rental-history context to the applicant’s file.
Section 5: Employment Information
The employment information section focuses on whether the applicant’s employment details match the information received from an employer.
Section 6: Credit Score
The credit score section lets landlords score applicants by FICO score range. This gives landlords a consistent way to account for credit information when comparing applicants.
Section 7: Recent Bankruptcy
The recent bankruptcy section accounts for whether the applicant has declared bankruptcy in the last three years and, if so, the stated reason.
Section 8: Evictions
The evictions section flags whether the applicant has an eviction history. In the template, an eviction response may lead to rejection rather than a standard point score.
Section 9: Total Score and Applicant Comparison
The template includes a total score for each applicant and a comparison sheet where landlords can view applicant names and scores together. This gives landlords a clearer way to compare applicants after each category has been scored.
Tenant Screening Disclaimers
Based on everything outlined thus far in this article, it should be clear that tenant screening is a necessary part of running your rental business. However, there are certain protections and restrictions that you should be aware of as you undergo this process. Let’s look at a few below.
Fair Housing Laws
The last thing that you want to have happen as the owner of a rental business is to face a fair housing violation. Knowing how to avoid violations is critical. The federal Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968, outlaws any form of discrimination in the selection of prospective property owners or tenants. The act is explicit about the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. Additionally, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act establishes guidelines for the use of credit information during the rental screening of prospective tenants, such as landlords' responsibility to send adverse action notices when denying a tenant based on their credit screening report.
On top of these protections, certain states add their own protections under the law. These can include protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, age, source of income, and marital status, among others. You cannot consider or ask about any of these characteristics during the rental application or tenant screening process if they are protected classes in your state.
Criminal Background Checks
Each state has different protections and regulations regarding the use of criminal background check information and whether it may be used as grounds to deny a tenant. For instance, some states prohibit the use of criminal histories in housing decisions altogether, while other states allow the use of convictions but not misdemeanors or arrests. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of researching local and state regulations for the use of criminal background check information, especially if you plan on using tenant screening services, which may or may not report information according to your state's laws. Be sure to research how these tenant screening reports are generated or request assistance from a lawyer to help you stay compliant with the law.
Conclusion
As we have hopefully made very clear in this article, the important question is not whether to conduct thorough tenant screening, but how to ensure that it is as complete and fair as possible so that you end up with the best tenants for your rental properties. REI Grove’s tenant scoring template spreadsheet will allow you to visualize various aspects of the tenant screening process and compare applicants objectively, allowing you to make fair judgments and decisions for your rental investments.
FAQs
What is a tenant scoring system?
A tenant scoring system is a screening method that assigns point values to rental applicant criteria, such as income level, rent payment history, landlord recommendation, employment information, credit score, bankruptcy history, and eviction history.
Why should landlords use a tenant scoring system?
Landlords can use a tenant scoring system to keep screening consistent, organized, and easier to compare across applicants.
What does a tenant scoring system template include?
The template includes applicant information, income level, past rent payments, landlord recommendation, and employment information.
Why is consistency important in tenant screening?
Consistency matters because landlords should apply the same screening standards to every applicant to reduce confusion and avoid unfair or discriminatory practices.
Can landlords use a scoring system with a tenant screening report?
Yes. A scoring system can be used alongside a tenant screening report to compare applicants more consistently after reviewing credit, rental history, eviction history, and other relevant information.
What should landlords avoid in a tenant scoring system?
Landlords should avoid criteria related to protected classes, irrelevant personal details, or any factor that federal, state, or local law prohibits from housing decisions.
Can criminal background information be used in tenant screening?
It depends on the location. Rules about criminal background checks vary by state and local law, so landlords should research applicable regulations before using that information.
What happens if an applicant has an eviction history?
In this template, an eviction response may be treated as a rejection factor rather than a standard point score, depending on the landlord’s criteria and applicable law.
Is a tenant scoring system enough to approve or deny an applicant?
No. A tenant scoring system should be one part of a complete tenant screening process, along with rental applications, screening reports, income verification, landlord references, and legal compliance review.
Should landlords talk to an attorney before using a tenant scoring system?
Yes, if they are unsure. Landlords should seek legal counsel if they do not know whether their scoring criteria, screening process, or tenant selection standards comply with federal, state, and local law.