A landlord who never gets a credit report or checks references on an applicant must refund the entire screening fee. How Landlords Can Use the Screening Fee.Written screening criteria will help rental property owners attract qualified applicants and quickly identify applicants who do not qualify. Credit checks are a vital component of the tenant screening process. You don't need to send a credit report prior to looking at a place you aren't even sure you want to live at. In this blog, we'll explore soft credit checks, the factors that influence them, and the impact they have on renting your next dream home. Landlords will have the option to provide receipts for tenant screening fees via email when both landlord and applicant agree to it first. You then chat a minute and get a little info like costs etc.