Renter Safety & Security

With renting any property, tenants have numerous concerns regarding their personal safety and security both during the rental process and after entering the rental agreement.

Many common rental scams involve fake listings for properties that the individual posing as the landlord does not actually own. In these scams, unsuspecting tenants are often asked to meet a stranger in locations to see a property, often alone, putting them in a potentially dangerous scenario for assault and robbery. Being able to confirm the identity of a landlord and the validity of a property listing can prevent this.

Ensuring their rental property is free from illegal activity is the landlord's responsibility. However, in the case where the landlord themselves is involved in unlawful behavior, there is most likely a high probability of future problems. Landlords with histories that may include assault or other domestic violence are most certainly a safety threat to their tenants.

The economic background of a landlord is paramount for a renter to know in order to feel confident and safe. Landlords with challenging financial troubles often are not keeping their properties up to code requirements, renting unlawful and physically unsafe units. In unfortunate incidents, a tenant may find themselves renting property they later learn has a lien or is in foreclosure with a landlord who is in bankruptcy. In many of these cases, the tenant is forced to vacate the property rapidly, at great personal expense.

SmartRenter Reports examine the financial records, property holdings and criminal backgrounds of landlords to offer confirmation that a property is being accurately represented, but also insights into unsavory behavior that is commonplace in the industry. Renters can make wise and informed decisions to avoid pursuing a rental with a landlord who has had trouble with the law previously, is in a bankruptcy, or has liens or foreclosures on property.