For renters in Pittsburgh, understanding what appears on a rental background check helps you prepare for the application process and avoid surprises. Most landlords rely on tenant screening reports to evaluate applicants, and close to 90 percent of landlords review a combination of income, job history, rental history, evictions, credit history, credit score, and criminal background.
The Core Components of a Tenant Screening Report
Pennsylvania landlords typically review the following categories when screening applicants.
Credit history and score. Landlords check your credit report to assess financial responsibility. This includes payment history, outstanding debts, and any collections accounts. A score of 600 or higher is the most common minimum threshold in Pittsburgh.
Criminal background. Most landlords run a criminal background check through court records. Under current practice, landlords can consider criminal convictions, but they are generally prohibited from using arrest records that did not result in convictions.
Eviction records. Landlords can access public eviction records and use that information in rental decisions. Even an eviction complaint that was withdrawn or decided in the tenant’s favor can appear on a report and affect an application.
Rental history verification. Landlords typically contact previous landlords to confirm you paid rent on time, maintained the property, and did not cause disturbances.
Income and employment verification. Landlords confirm your income through pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements to ensure you meet the standard requirement of three times the monthly rent.
What Landlords Cannot Consider
Pennsylvania law limits how landlords can use certain records, and several legislative proposals would further restrict what can be considered.
Arrests without convictions. Landlords generally cannot deny applications based solely on arrests that did not result in convictions.
Sealed or expunged records. Under Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate law, many old convictions and non-conviction records are sealed from public view. Once a case is sealed or expunged, it generally should not be used by a landlord for housing purposes.
Juvenile records. Landlords are generally prohibited from using adjudications of juvenile delinquency.
Convictions that have been pardoned or vacated. Landlords cannot consider convictions that have been pardoned, vacated, or otherwise legally nullified.
Proposed Changes That Could Affect Screening
Several bills in the Pennsylvania legislature would change what landlords can consider.
Limiting criminal record use. Proposed legislation would limit landlords’ use of criminal records related to drug trafficking and require an individualized assessment of factors such as the age of the applicant, how long ago the offense occurred, and evidence of rehabilitation.
Sealing eviction records. Proposed legislation would seal eviction records after seven years, preventing them from appearing on future screening reports.
Capping application fees. Proposed legislation would cap rental application fees and require that fees be used only for background checks.
How Data Errors Affect Screening Reports
Tenant screening reports are not always accurate. Data matching practices can significantly affect outcomes. Under a strict matching approach, one individual might have one criminal misdemeanor and one eviction filing on their record. Under a more lenient approach, the same name could be associated with multiple misdemeanors, felonies, and evictions from multiple people with similar names.
These errors can harm renters by exposing them to repeated application fees and denials. If you are denied housing based on a background check, you have the right to review the report and dispute inaccurate information under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Key Takeaways
| Screening Component | What Landlords Check |
|---|---|
| Credit history | Payment history, debts, collections |
| Criminal background | Convictions (not arrests without convictions) |
| Eviction records | Public eviction filings and outcomes |
| Rental history | Payment history and property care |
| Income | Ability to meet 3x rent requirement |
Understanding what appears on a rental background check helps you prepare for the application process. If you have a criminal record that has been sealed or expunged, check your screening report to ensure it has been removed. If you find errors, you have the right to dispute them with the screening company.