The landlords wont accept your own credit reports. Housing providers have a right to set financial and credit qualifications, a process that provides some assurance that the applicant will be a good tenant.A landlord is prohibited from charging an applicant for a credit or background check if they fail to provide the applicant with a copy. I suspect the pdf granted the landlord permission to check your credit report; this is common - as you know. Is there anything else I can clear up for you? Every good rental application forms must include a place where the applicant can sign that gives consent for a background check to be conducted. Under federal law, a landlord who denies your tenant application because of information in a tenant screening report is required to inform you of that fact. A New York rental application asks questions about a tenant's personal, residential, and financial background to determine if they meet your screening criteria. Landlords must accept a tenant-provided background or credit check. The tenant-provided report must be no more than 30 days old.