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The Process
Step 1
Landlord registers for a HomeScreen account
Step 2
Landlord advertises and shows available rental units, including on ARCH by HomeScreen
Step 3
Renter submits HomeScreen application
Step 4
HomeScreen processes application and makes recommendation to Landlord
Step 5
Landlord reviews and approves or denies application
The Product
With HomeScreen, you will receive:
personal, secure log-in to access applications
automatic e-mail updates when application is started, when credit report is complete, and when HomeScreen makes a recommendation
a summary of the applicant's Equifax credit report, including FICO or Insight score
a national criminal background check including sex offender registry
a national civil courts records search including Alaska and Hawaii
employment and income verification, including access to The Work Number
rental verification for the past five years, including skip tracing undisclosed addresses
After receiving the initial credit and background report, we personally verify and contact all applicants' references to verify their income and residential history for the past five years.
We make a recommendation, but we let YOU decide. We will recommend the application if:
no applicant has any violent felony convictions in the past ten years
no applicant has a civil court judgment with a landlord or negative landlord reference in the past five years
the gross household monthly income is at least 3x the rent
At HomeScreen, landlords always make the final decision about who moves in to their rental property. We understand that landlords may have different screening criteria than HomeScreen. We work to send as much verified, objective information as possible so that landlords can make an informed decision before signing a lease. Once you have made a leasing decision, HomeScreen will send an email to the applicant informing them of the landlords’s final decision. If there are other applications for the same unit in the queue, they will be notified that the property is no longer available and will not be charged the application fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up?
Register your properties here!
What is the cost of registering?
HomeScreen is completely free for landlords and property managers. We are a product of Tower Grove CDC, a non-profit dedicated to promoting and improving the quality of life in the Tower Grove Neighborhoods. We hope landlords everywhere will use HomeScreen to help us further our mission and provide secure, reliable rental property to long-term, well qualified tenants.
I just signed up, now what?
You will receive an e-mail with a link to verify your account. Once you log in, you will need to add in your properties. If you have a large number of properties, please feel free to e-mail a list of properties to info@myhomescreen.org.
How will I be notified when a potential tenant applies?
You will receive an automated email when a potential tenant starts an application for one of your properties. The e-mail will have the applicants name and address they are applying for, so you will have all of the information you need!
What does a potential tenant need to apply?
Each person living on the property who is 18 or older will need to submit an application with a copy of his/her ID, proof of income, and application fee. The application fee is $50 per person.
My potential tenant is trying to submit an application, but cannot find my property. Why?
HomeScreen can only accept applications for “available” properties. Log in to your account, click the “Properties” tab on the left side, and click “Edit,” and make sure the property is marked as available.
I have a lot of interested applicants. How do you handle multiple applicants?
If there are multiple applications submitted for a given unit, the landlord can choose to process the applications simultaneously and on a rolling basis. Our default is to process applications one at a time on a first-come first-served basis.
HomeScreen screens all applicants using the same criteria and may recommend more than one application if you choose to process applications on a rolling basis. You always make the final leasing decision. In making your decision, you must always comply with the Fair Housing Act. It is illegal to refuse a prospective tenant based on national origin, race, color, religion, sex, family status, or disability.
What information will I receive with the tenant report?
You will have immediate access to the applicant’s application, including their contact information and uploaded documents. You will get each applicant’s Equifax credit score, plus information about collections, bankruptcy filings, and recurring monthly payments. You will also get the results of a national criminal background and national civil courts records search. We will then verify all of the applicant’s rental references for the past five years and their current income. We will notify you when all of this information has been verified.
What are the requirements for recommending an applicant?
We will recommend the application if the prospective tenants have no violent felony convictions in the past ten years, have no civil court judgments to a landlord or negative landlord reports in the past five years, and if the household gross monthly income is at least three times the rent.*
*We acknowledge that Covid-19 impacted renters, especially low-income renters, in a disproportionate way. Knowing this we have adjusted our screening guidelines in the wake of the pandemic. Please review the screening criteria here.
You don’t have any qualifications regarding the applicant’s credit?
We believe renters are more than a credit score, so HomeScreen does not have a minimum requirement for credit. We will share the applicant’s credit score, any open collections, any bankruptcy filings and any monthly payments on your credit report with you, but this information will not affect our recommendation.
I noticed the applicant’s credit score is an “Insight Score.” What is an Insight Score?
An Insight Score is an alternative type of credit score for people with thin or no traditional credit. The Insight Score is calculated based on telecom (cable, internet, cell phone plans) and utility payments, so the landlord can analyze how the applicant’s payment history, even if they do not have a traditional FICO score.
How long does it take to receive a final report?
The credit, criminal and eviction searches will be completed the same business day the applicant applies. Verifying the references typically takes 2-4 business days. You will be notified by e-mail when the final report is ready to view.
Can the process go any faster?
Unfortunately, we can not control how quickly the applicants’ references reply. However, you can accept or deny the application at any point in the process, including before HomeScreen makes a recommendation.
Will you contact the applicant if I deny their application?
Yes, HomeScreen will notify all applicants by e-mail when you accept or deny the application.
I just bought a new property, how do I add it to HomeScreen?
Log in to your HomeScreen account, and click on the “Properties” tab on the left side, and click “Create New.”
My properties are outside of the Tower Grove Area, can I still register?
Absolutely, we have no geographic limitations for screening. We welcome landlords from Saint Louis City, Saint Louis County, Illinois and beyond!