Top Frequently Asked Questions
SmartMove is an online screening service for independent property owners and their rental applicants. It was designed to help smaller property owners make educated leasing decisions by giving them access to the same tools for tenant screenings that larger property management companies use.
SmartMove is used when someone is interested in applying to rent a property. In order to begin the process, the potential tenant MUST provide an email address to the property owner. Once the email address has been provided, the process generally goes as follows:
- Property owner initiates a renter screening request using the email address provided by the applicant. (If the landlord is new to SmartMove, he or she must create an account and add at least one property.)
- Potential tenant is sent the application request via email and chooses to accept or decline the screening. (If the applicant is new to SmartMove, he or she must create an account in order to accept or decline the request.)
- By accepting the request, the applicant initiates the release of his or her credit and criminal record information to the landlord through SmartMove. By declining, he or she cancels the rental application. Either way, most personal identifying information such as a Social Security number is not released
- If the applicant accepts the request, the property owner receives credit and criminal history information to assist them in making a decision on whether to accept or decline the applicant.
Both the property owner and the potential tenant will log into SmartMove throughout the screening process mentioned above. As a consumer-initiated service, SmartMove requires both members to play an active role in confirming the validity of the application process. This ensures the service remains secure.
Unlike other tenant screening services, the consumer is the one who actually initiates the release of his or her credit and criminal data with SmartMove. This arrangement benefits both property owners and consumers. For property owners, it reduces the paperwork and long approval process required to initiate a credit inquiry on a consumer. For consumers, initiating the release of their own data results in a “soft inquiry,” which does not impact their credit score.
To keep the process secure, SmartMove is an online service. Property owners and potential tenants will need to have:
- Access to the Internet
- Individual email addresses
If either party does not have access to the Internet, they may wish to consult a local library or management office. If either party does not have an email address, they will first need to establish one, which can be accomplished by using one of many free online email services. If there is more than one potential tenant on an application, each potential tenant must have a separate email address. Each potential tenant will then log in separately to confirm or decline the authorized release of their individual data to the property owner.
SmartMove provides most results same day after the renter has confirmed their application and passed identity authentication online. Majority of delays are due to either party not completing one or more steps throughout the process.
SmartMove is online whereas larger property management firms have custom-built solutions that they host and maintain. By tapping into the powerful rental screening capabilities of TransUnion TruVision Resident Screening, the expert screening service for larger management firms, you access the same credit data and decisioning tools, but it’s online so you don’t have the cost of hosting and upkeep.
Yes. SmartMove combines the powerful data and analytics of TransUnion to provide you with a quick and reliable tenant screening service. You get all the information you need to make more informed screening decisions in less time. And SmartMove enables you to screen effectively without compromising the privacy or security of the applicant’s personal identifying information.
Only those property owners to whom the potential tenant grants permission will have access to the potential tenant’s credit and criminal record information.
The advantages SmartMove offers make it a valuable tenant screening service for independent property owners and smaller management groups that may not need daily, weekly, or even monthly access to their screening solution. SmartMove offers cost-effective, web-based access to the same data and analytics used by the largest property management firms.
At this time, SmartMove only has the ability to process an application for potential tenants who have a valid U.S. Social Security number.
You may call SmartMove if you have additional questions.
Phone: 866-775-0961
