Most landlords think tenant screening is about finding someone with a good credit score. Run the report, see a 700, hand over the keys.
I get why. It's fast, and it feels objective. But a credit score is one piece of the picture, and in my experience it's rarely the piece that tells you who will actually pay on time and take care of your property.
Here in Texas, screening also comes with a few legal rules that a lot of DFW landlords don't know about until something goes wrong. So let's walk through what to check, what red flags to watch for, and how to keep the whole process fair and by the book.
Start With Written Screening Criteria
Before you look at a single application, decide what you're looking for and put it in writing. Income requirement, rental history, credit standards, criminal history policy, pets, number of occupants. All of it.
This isn't just good practice. The Texas Property Code (Section 92.3515) requires landlords to make a written notice of their tenant selection criteria available when they give someone an application. The notice should explain the grounds for denial, such as criminal history, rental history, current income, credit history, and inaccurate or incomplete information on the application. If you reject an applicant and never made that notice available, you have to give back their application fee and any application deposit.
Written criteria also protect you in another way: when you apply the same standards to every applicant, you have a clear, consistent reason for every decision.
Verify Income, Don't Just Accept It
Many landlords look for gross monthly income of around three times the rent. That's a common rule of thumb, not a law, and you can set your own standard as long as you apply it consistently.
What matters more is verifying it. Ask for recent pay stubs, offer letters, bank statements, or tax returns for self-employed applicants. Then call the employer to confirm. Doctored pay stubs are easier to make than ever, and a two-minute phone call catches a lot.
Talk to Past Landlords (Not Just the Current One)
Rental history is often the best predictor of how someone will treat your property. But here's a tip: the current landlord isn't always the most honest reference. If they have a problem tenant, they might be happy to see them move on.
Whenever possible, talk to the landlord before that one too. Ask simple, direct questions:
- Did they pay rent on time?
- Did they give proper notice before moving out?
- Was any of the security deposit kept for damage?
- Would you rent to them again?
That last question tells you a lot, especially when there's a long pause before the answer.
Look at the Whole Credit Report
The score is a summary. The report is the story. I'd rather see a lower score from medical bills or student loans than a higher score with a recent collection from a previous apartment complex or utility company.
Pay attention to unpaid rental debt, past evictions, and a pattern of accounts going to collections. Those are the items most connected to how someone handles rent.
Handle Criminal History Carefully
Texas law allows landlords to consider criminal history, and it's one of the grounds that should be listed in your screening criteria. But be careful with blanket policies. The FTC notes that a policy of refusing anyone with any criminal record may violate the federal Fair Housing Act.
A more defensible approach is to focus on the type of offense and how long ago it happened, and to apply that policy the same way to every applicant. If you're unsure where to draw the line, this is a good topic to review with a Texas real estate attorney.
Know the Rules When You Deny Someone
If you deny an application, require a co-signer, ask for a larger deposit, or charge higher rent based in whole or in part on a credit or background report, federal law (the Fair Credit Reporting Act) requires you to give the applicant an adverse action notice. According to the FTC, that notice must include:
- The name, address, and phone number of the screening company that supplied the report
- A statement that the screening company didn't make the decision and can't explain it
- The applicant's right to dispute inaccurate information in the report
- The applicant's right to a free copy of the report if they ask within 60 days
Written notice is the safest way to go, so you have a record.
Red Flags Worth Slowing Down For
None of these automatically mean "no," but each one deserves a closer look:
- Gaps or inconsistencies between the application and the documents
- Pressure to skip steps or move in immediately
- Offering several months of rent in cash up front to avoid a background check
- A previous landlord who can't be reached or seems to be a friend or relative
- Unwillingness to authorize a background or credit check
- Income that can't be verified
Stay Consistent and Stay Fair
Federal and Texas fair housing laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. The easiest way to stay on the right side of the law is to use the same criteria, the same process, and the same documentation for every single applicant, and to make decisions based on that criteria alone.
Keep a record of why each applicant was approved or denied. If a decision is ever questioned, you'll be glad you did.
The Bottom Line
Good tenant screening isn't about being picky. It's about being clear, consistent, and thorough, so the person who moves in is someone who will pay on time and treat your property well. A single bad placement can cost you months of rent plus repairs and legal fees, which is one of the hidden costs of self-managing that catches a lot of owners off guard.
At The MTS Group, screening is a core part of our property management service, and we take it seriously for every property we manage across Dallas–Fort Worth.
If you're a landlord in the DFW area and want help finding and screening quality tenants, I'd love to chat.
Call or text me directly at 682-448-9607, or request a free rental analysis and find out what your property could rent for.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.