How long does screening take?

Typical turnaround is 24-to-48 hours from a complete application. Credit and ID usually clear within one business hour; employment and reference calls take the rest.

What credit report do you pull?

Equifax soft-pull, which returns score, trade lines, collections, and public records without affecting the applicant's credit.

What if the applicant does not meet income thresholds?

We can route to our Tenant Guarantor process - a structured path that adds a qualified co-signer to the lease with separate documentation.

Do you make the rent or decline decision?

No. You make every final decision. MoveSmart delivers the documented file and a recommendation; the owner approves, counters, or declines.

Is the screening compliant with Ontario Human Rights Code?

Yes. Our rubric screens on financial and tenancy factors only. Protected-ground factors (family status, age, source of income, etc.) do not enter the decision.

Do you screen co-applicants and guarantors the same way?

Yes. Every person on the lease - tenant, co-tenant, or guarantor - runs through the same documented screen.

Can I see the actual credit report?

You see the summary and the relevant risk flags. Full credit reports are retained under Equifax terms of use; applicants receive a copy on request.

Services

Tenant Screening · Structured Qualification

Applicants qualified on a written rubric

Every applicant runs through the same documented screen - credit, income, employment, references, risk assessment, and compliance checks. You get a decision-ready report in your portal, not a gut feeling on a phone call.

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The problem

What goes wrong without structured screening

Inconsistent decisions, exposure to discrimination claims

Owners who screen ad-hoc end up applying different standards to different applicants - a direct path to an Ontario Human Rights Code complaint.

Missed red flags

Credit alone is not a tenancy decision. Without employment verification and landlord references, the applicant with a clean credit report can still be the applicant who broke the last lease.

Paper trails you cannot defend at the LTB

If a tenancy sours, your screening file is the document that protects you. "I had a good feeling about them" is not a defence.

Slow screening loses the best applicants

The strongest applicants have options. A 72-hour screening turnaround loses them to the building across the street.

The MoveSmart approach

How MoveSmart delivers tenant screening

A consistent, documented screen run by trained leasing staff. Every applicant gets the same checks in the same order, and every decision is logged with a written rationale - whether you engage us end-to-end or only for screening.

Credit check

Equifax soft-pull credit report with score, trade-line history, collections, and any judgments or bankruptcies.

Income verification

Pay stubs, T4s, notices of assessment, or bank-statement verification cross-checked against stated employment.

Employment verification

Direct employer confirmation of role, tenure, and stated income - documented in the screening file.

Reference verification

Prior landlord references with structured questions on payment history, notice, and condition of the unit at move-out.

Risk summary

A written one-page summary that maps the applicant against your rent-to-income threshold and flags anything that needs a conversation.

Compliance checks

ID verification and Ontario Human Rights Code compliance review on every decision.

Decision support

Our team walks you through the summary and options: approve, approve with guarantor, counter, or decline with documented reason.

How it works

The engagement

Applicant submission

Applicant fills a structured application in the portal - ID, employment, income, references, consent.

Credit & ID pull

Equifax report and ID verification run within one business hour of a complete submission.

Income & employment verification

Pay stubs, T4s, and direct employer confirmation reviewed within 24 hours.

Reference calls

Prior landlord references contacted and logged.

Risk summary written

One-page summary, risk flags, and recommended decision delivered to your portal.

Owner decision

You approve, counter, decline, or request a guarantor - all in the portal with a documented reason.

Who it's for

A fit for every owner profile

Individual landlords

Owners who have a tenant identified and want a defensible file before signing - not just a credit score.

Portfolio owners & small PMCs

Owners who want a consistent rubric applied across every applicant, every unit, every month.

Builders & developers

New-build operators who need an auditable screen on every first-tenancy applicant for investor or lender reporting.

Pricing

Included in the full Leasing Services engagement at no extra charge. Available standalone at a flat per-applicant rate - see the pricing page.

See the full fee schedule →

Frequently Asked

Questions about Tenant Screening

Yes. Tenant Screening is available as a standalone service at a flat per-applicant rate. You bring the applicant; we deliver the documented screen and risk summary.

Still have questions?

Talk to a leasing advisor. No pressure, no obligation.

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Related services

Ready to start with Tenant Screening?

Create a free account to walk through the process, or book a 20-minute discovery call. No upfront cost, no obligation.

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No contracts

No upfront fees

Results guaranteed

Applicants qualified on a written rubric

What goes wrong without structured screening.