Full Credit Reports

• Credentialing Process
  
  • Inspection FAQ
  • How to Order an Inspection
    
    
• Pricing and Packages
  
  
• Order Form
  
  

Helping you make an informed decision!

RHA knows that whenever you have a vacancy you are faced with the task of making FAST and GOOD decisions on whether to accept a tenant or not. RHA’s Full Credit Report will provide you with an easy-to read report that gives you the crucial information you need to make that decision.

Resident selection is one of the most important responsibilities you have as a rental property owner or manager. Making the right decisions can help you reduce bad debt, maintain occupancy and stay compliant with regulations.

RHA’s Full Credit Report provides subscribers with:

• Verification of information on the rental application
  
  
• Crucial information regarding applicant’s payment history, including credit accounts and balances, recent credit inquiries, collection accounts and civil record reporting.
  
  
• Easy to understand format
  
  
• A rejection letter, fully compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) laws, if applicable
  
  
  
  

RHA’s Full Credit Reports Credentialing

In order to receive RHA’s Full Credit Reports, RHA needs to be able to ensure our members are in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Therefore there are credentialing requirements for each member who participates in our Tenant Screening Services. These requirements are mandated by our credit bureau TransUnion and Equifax. They help RHA balance business sensitivity with prudent policy.

If you fulfill all of the requirements listed below you will be qualified to receive full credit reports. The cost for the new credentialing and inspections is $65, and RHA will need to have the following on-file before running any screenings for it's members:

Full Credentialing Requirements to Receive Credit Reports:

• Individual Membership Application
• Company Membership Application

A separate Letter of Intent

Service Agreement

Verification of Identity

• We will be checking to ensure that the member is not involved in any side business that may not be approved for the handling of credit reports (i.e. internet locator, service bail bond companies, credit repair agencies or credit clinics) by reviewing company’s website, checking listing or business in yellowpages and receiving a copy of organization’s Business License or printed verification from City/State, federal tax id/employer identification number and /or article of incorporation.
• Owner's government issued photo identification such as a driver's license wil need to be photocopied.

Verification of Financial Records

• We will need to contact your bank and find out the following: banking institution’s name, length of relationship between financial institution and member, type of accounts held, and member’s address listed on the financial institution’s records is the same as membership application?
• If member is a sole proprietor or in a partnership, we will need to obtain a copy of personal credit report for sole proprietor or partners.
• Banking Verification Form
• Credit Check Authorization Form

Verification of Location

• Copy of Telephone Bill which reflects same company name and address on membership application.
• If in business less than 1 year, we will need a copy of two of the following: utility bill, proof of property ownership, lease, or bank statement.
• We will need to have a site visit to review the following. You will need to order this inspection from RHA’s website link (Learn how to order an inspection). Once the inspection has been conducted RHA will be notified. Some of the items they will be reviewing and looking for are:
  1. Is site located at the exact address provided by the client?
  2. Do they have a secured storage area? For example: a locked filing cabinet for credit reports or do they have a password protected computer?
  3. Do they own a shredder or some type of document disposal system?

     Commercial Site

  4. Is there a permanent sign identifying the business, does it match the name on the membership application?
  5. Does the office space, furnishings, equipment match the size and type of business noted?
  6. If space is shared is there a separation between businesses?

     Home Site

  7. Is there a dedicated work space? Is there a separation between work and home life?

If You've Been a Member for Less than a Year

• Proof of ownership of property
  We will need to have a Tax Assessor's bill or Escrow Closing Statement
  As well as one of the following: Deed, Property Insurance, Utility Bill, Flood Certification or Title Insurance
  
  

Inspections FAQ

Physical Inspections and RHA Members

The Rental Housing Association of Puget Sound has selected TrendSource as the authorized vendor for physical inspections. TrendSource is one of few companies authorized by ALL credit bureaus to perform physical inspections. Legislation requires that an independent 3rd party perform the physical inspections.

TrendSource has been serving clients since 1989. They are an ISO 9001/2000 Certified company, and have been authorized by all major credit bureaus to perform onsite physical inspections. TrendSource is dedicated to excellence and to delivery of accurate, high quality results each and every time. Our goal is to exceed your expectations.

Inspections will need to be paid for at the time of the order. Members pay TrendSource directly. The cost is $65.

Here are a few questions and answers about inspection.

Q. Which credit bureaus will the physical inspection cover?
The physical inspection will be conducted for the following credit bureaus: Experian and TransUnion.

Q. Why do credit bureaus require business verifications/physical inspections?
Credit reporting agencies (CRA) and resellers are required by federal law and regulations to establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect consumer data (Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act). A physical inspection of prospective users of consumer information is a mandatory component of the CRA’s compliance requirements.

Q. I’ve been receiving credit reports for years. When was this physical inspection requirement enacted?
The credit bureaus have been requiring physical inspections since 2003. Numerous apartment associations have aggressively lobbied against requiring individual property owners to undergo such inspections. Beginning in 2007 the credit bureaus notified their credit resellers (including associations) that anyone receiving consumer credit information must be in compliance with the FCRA, and under go a physical inspection.

Q. Do the inspection reports that TrendSource uses meet current CRA regulations?
TrendSource ONLY uses CRA approved questionnaires when conducting their inspections. This helps to ensure compliance and helps to eliminate inspection issues and violations.

Q. Does your inspection include the required digital photos?
Yes, our field agents are required to take and upload all CRA required photos, which include any signage, secure storage areas (file cabinets), workspace only, and proper disposal method (paper shredder). All photos are kept on a secured server and access is limited to client and authorized personnel. If you work out of a residence the field inspector is required to take an exterior photo of your property address. Typically, this is a photo of street number posted on the house. They do not need to take numerous photos of the interior or exterior of the home. Only those described herein.

Q. Who performs the physical inspection?
TrendSource has a database of 20,000 highly screened, qualified and trained field agents nationwide. Physical inspections are performed by our highest rated field agents who have been screened, interviewed, trained, tested, and certified to perform physical inspections. Agent performance is highly monitored, and professionalism is a requirement 100% of the time.

Q. Where does the physical inspection take place?
All inspections must be conducted at the physical location where credit reports are received, managed and stored.

Q. Does the field inspector need to see what is in my files?
NO. The inspection is only to confirm that credit reports are kept in a secure storage area, and a photo is required for verification purposes only.

Q. What do I do if I have a question or issue regarding the field agent?
Prior to your inspection you will receive a “Letter of Introduction”, which includes a questionnaire that provides us feedback on your inspection and the performance of the field agent. All returned questionnaires are 100% reviewed and responded to as required. Additionally, the field agent is required to present this letter when they introduce themselves at the inspection. If you have any questions and/or concerns about your field agent please do not hesitate to contact Heather Hall – Business Verification Team Senior Account Specialist at hhall@trendsource.com or 619-718-7467 x113.

Q. How long does it take to be inspected?
Most inspections are typically completed within 3-5 business days. Most inspections are assigned within 24 hours, following assignment our field agent is required to make initial contact within 6-24 hours to set-up the physical inspection appointment. The actual physical inspection should take 10-15 minutes. Following the inspection the field agent will post the inspection data, which is then audited for quality and accuracy conformance. Final inspection reports are posted within 48 hours following the inspection.

Q. How are issues associated with my inspection managed, communicated, and resolved?
Anytime there is an issue with an inspection the client is notified by email. The client can then log into their dedicated website to view the reported issue, provide a response, and track the status of the physical inspection. Our dedicated account teams work proactively to address and resolve all issues in an expeditious manner.

Q. How do I know my inspection is complete?
Clients are notified by email when an inspection is complete. The email includes the date, inspection number and client’s website link.

Q. Where do I view my reports and how are they presented?
TrendSource posts all inspection results on a secure website portal, which is dedicated to the client and requires a secure login and password. Completed reports are available 24/7, and can be exported into MS Excel, PDF, or Email. Completed inspection reports can be archived on TrendSource’s secure server for future reference and retrieval.

Q. Who services my account?
Every client is supported by a dedicated account team. This team comprises an account manager, and account specialists. The team is responsible for the physical inspection assignment, management of field agents, issue resolution, complete execution of inspection, quality control and reporting. For account support please contact Heather Hall (hhall@TrendSource.com) or Ben Gribble (bgribble@TrendSource.com).

Order an Inspection

How to order an Inspection:

To order an inspection you first need to open an account with TrendSource. To do this go to RHA’s website at wwww.rha-ps.com and open the order inspection link or type in the following website address in your browser: https://www.businessverifications.com/login.aspx?source=RHAPS. When you have landed on this webpage you will need to select “Open An Account”, which is above the User Name and Password fields. The reason you need to open an account first is so you can view and agree to our Terms of Service and gain access to our system. Once you have completed your account set up you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you provided when you set up your account. This email will provide you a User Name (typically your email address) and the Password you selected when you opened your account. This step is necessary so we can confirm the information that you used to set up your account was accurate and that you will receive the email communications that will be sent out during the inspection process. NOTE: Opening an account does not mean you have ordered an inspection. Please see below.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION

To order your physical inspection you will need to log into the same website https://www.businessverifications.com/login.aspx?source=RHAPS and log in using your TrendSource User Name and Password. Once logged in you can order your verification by selecting the menu option “Order New Verification”, which is located in the upper left hand area of the webpage. After you have selected this function type in the required information, confirm your acceptance, and then select “Submit Request”. You will then be taken to the final webpage where you will need to enter your credit card information to pay for the verification.

Your order will then go into our assignment queue. Once your inspection is assigned to a field agent they will contact you within 24 hrs to set up an appointment at a time that is convenient for both of you. If you have any questions regarding your inspection please contact Heather Hall (hhall@trendsource.com) or Ben Gribble (bgribble@trendsource.com)
Here’s a quick look at how to get started.

1. To order your initial physical inspection you will first need to create an account with TrendSource and perform the following steps.
2. Open the following webpage: https://www.businessverifications.com/login.aspx?source=RHAPS
3. Select “Open an Account”. Fill out and submit new account form.

1. Log in to https://www.businessverifications.com/login.aspx?source=RHAPS using your TrendSource account username and password.
2. Once logged in locate “Verifications” menu on left hand side of webpage and select “Order New Verification”. Fill out verification order form, submit, and pay online using your credit card.
3. After you have placed and paid for your order a TrendSource filed agent will be assigned to your physical inspection, and will contact you to set up an appointment at a time that is convenient.
   
   
   
   

Pricing and Packages

All Prices before tax

Along with these reports and packages, you have the option of adding additional individual products to your reports.