- How do I check to determine that ATS Tenant Screen. is a Company that operates the legitimate Internet business that it claims?
- There are links from other Internet Companies to ATS:
- www.thelpa.com/lpa/links.html ... scroll down until you see the ATS logo under the Credit Bureau logos, click on it and you will open the ATS website.
- Check our reliability status by clicking on the BBB logo at the home page.
- You likely found ATS on Google, or on one of the other major search engines, or were referred by a friend/associate. A fraudulent/deceptive company would not remain on a major search engine too long as complaints would/should dictate that the listing be deactivated. Your friend/associate should be able to tell you if they have had problems. If they have referred you, they are obviously satisfied with the service and have not been subjected to fraudulent/deceptive practices.
- Fraudulent Companies more often than not solicit up front fees from you. They want your money before you find out they are not legitimate. ATS does not request any up front fees. It is a pay-as-you-go service which means low risk.
- TIP: When you use a Credit Card for online purchases or any other purchases your Credit Card Issuer will do a charge back to the Merchant where it is deemed that a fraud has taken place.
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- What does a credit report tell me?
- A credit report assists in establishing the identity of your Prospective Tenant by comparing their personal information to that entered on the rental application.
- A credit report in most instances lists current and previous addresses and current and previous employer(s).
- A credit report will list collections, liens and legal items.
- A credit report lists all credit accounts and pay patterns associated to them. For example, are they current or delinquent?
- A credit report lists bankruptcies.
- A credit report via ATS gives you a risk predictor score based on current experience and history.
- A credit report will validate the SSN/SIN. This is an important feature as delinquent tenants often provide false information on rental applications. The SSN/SIN will generally pull a credit history even if the name has been misspelled, or a wrong date of birth given.
- A credit report is one of the most important components in your tenant screening process.
- Be aware that some tenant screening companies only provide credit report summaries. ATS obtains complete credit histories for its Members.
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- Is there a membership fee?
No, there is no membership fee associated with this service. ATS is a no-risk service. If after one or two credit checks you do not like the service, there is no obligation to use the service - and you have not invested anything in it. We are confident that you will like our efficient, expedient service.
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- Do you offer volume discounts?
ATS offers volume discounts to Members that request 10 or more credit checks per month.
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- How can I tell the applicant that his/her application has not been accepted?
There are a number of ways in which that can be done. Here are two suggestions:
- Favorable consideration was not given your application to rent as there were other more suitable candidates.
- Favorable consideration was not given your application to rent as it did not meet our (my) criteria for tenancy.
If queried as to why specifically the application was denied, you should only repeat your stated reason. You do not have to provide them with further explanation. Again, these are only suggestions; you may already have your own standard rejection letter.
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- What should I do with credit reports when applications are denied?
You should ensure that the credit report is sufficiently shredded. You should keep the signed Authorization for three years in the event ATS is audited or the Applicant makes an allegation that you did not have consent to obtain a copy of his/her credit history. Privacy laws dictate that you must safeguard this confidential information.
After the five year period you may shred the Authorization/Rental Application as the statute of limitations will have run out.
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- Do I require written consent from the applicant to run a credit check?
Yes, you must have the written consent of the applicant to obtain a copy of his/her credit file. Most Rental Application Forms have the consent clause just above the signature on the last page. You can obtain a Rental Application from the ATS website under "online forms."
ATS takes seriously its responsibility to protect Consumer privacy and will report all matters for Police investigation where credit information has been misused or obtained under false pretences. The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides for a severe penalty where a Consumer's information has been obtained under false pretences. Section 619 of FCRA refers...
Section 619. Obtaining information under false pretenses [15 U.S.C. § 1681q]
Any person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a consumer from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.
If you cannot show that you had authorization or consent to obtain a Consumer's credit history, you will be in breach of the Agreement that you signed with ATS Tenant Screen. This will result in immediate cancellation of the ATS Service and/or other repercussions as noted above where the matter has escalated.
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- Why was there no credit file or Vantage Score on my prospective tenant?
Important: In each instance you should query the Prospective Tenant about why there was no positive credit history; the answer should be reasonable and believable.
No Vantage Score : Where the rating comes back as No Score Available this is likely the reason why:
- The Applicant does not have any credit history that has been reported in the last 24 months because there were no accounts or trade balances that were active and being reported on which would generate a Vantage score. In this instance it is likely that the Applicant has OLDER accounts that have not been paid and have been closed by the Credit Grantor. If there was a SCORE in this instance it would be less than 650 and a rating less than D+. Credit Worthiness has not been established. Ask the Applicant for an explanation regarding unpaid accounts and unsatisfactory pay habits. No Score Available = red flag and further due diligence should be conducted. Refer to landlord criteria below.
No Record Found : Please note that this is different than No Vantage Score and these are the reasons why there is No Record Found:
- Prospective Tenant is young and has not yet established a credit file.
- Prospective Tenant has not been able to establish a credit history because of poor/sporadic employment. This is often the case when no credit history is available, request employer's pay stub to verify employment and bi-weekly income or copy of bank statement. Does he/she have a bank account?
- You entered the wrong personal information such as name, date of birth, SSN (USA) or SIN (CDN), address..OR
- Prospective Tenant has provided you with false information to ensure that you do not find his/her credit history. Many high risk tenants misspell their name, provide a wrong date of birth and will leave out the last one or two addresses that they have been at because they know that the reference will not be a good one. Be aware that this could happen to you. Look at two pieces of I.D. and request a pay stub or income tax return from the previous year to verify Identity information provided to you.
- Prospective Tenant is on a Disability or Income Assistance Allowance and does not have a credit file because it is difficult to obtain credit.
- Prospective Tenant is a new arrival to the country and has not yet established a credit history.
- Prospective Tenant has been incarcerated for a long period of time.
Having no credit file = red flag and your tenant screening should include further due diligence.
Visit www.criminalfraud.com and click on Landlord Fraud.
Landlord Criteria should include:
- Credit Worthiness
- credit report
- bank statement
- adequate bi-weekly or monthly income)
- Tenant Worthiness
- verify with current landlord that all obligations on lease agreement were met
- include criminal and eviction searches
- include employer reference that verifies job stability, character, dependability, responsibility.
Note: Every Individual that works in the U.S.A. is required to have a S.S.N. whether it is a temporary one or not. For further information on this topic visit this page from the U.S. Social Security Administration.
A Credit Report establishes the credit worthiness of a Prospective Tenant. It is just as important to establish the tenant worthiness, do this by contacting the current landlord. Click on ATS Recommendations at the bottom of the ATS Decision Credit Report for further advice and/or obtain the Landlord Checklist Form from the Forms section on the website to assist with questions that should be asked when contacting the current landlord.
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- Identity theft. Can it affect me and how do I protect myself?
Yes. Identity theft is on the rise in North America and is a huge concern with many industries - including the Residential Rental Industry.
One of the benefits of obtaining a credit report is that you can compare the information on the rental application to that on the credit report. Often bad or delinquent tenants will give false or erroneous information on the application; for example, leave a letter out of the last name, give a wrong date of birth, leave the most current addresses out because they owe rental fees with the previous landlord, etc.
If you encounter a case of identity theft the credit report will assist you in verifying that. Here is how: "So, Mr/Ms Prospective Tenant, can you tell me with which Financial Institution you have your credit cards?" "Can you tell me what the balance is on that account?" "Have you ever had a car loan?"
This information is listed under trades/accounts on the credit report. It will tell you who the credit grantor is, when the account was opened, the balance, past due payments and the rating of that account. If Mr/Ms Prospective Tenant cannot give you that feedback, then you are likely dealing with an impersonator (Identity Thief). For further information on identity theft and landlord fraud...visit www.criminalfraud.com.
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- What are your days and hours of operation?
Monday to Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
Saturday: 8 am to Noon
(Pacific Time)
Sunday closed
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- Can I obtain rental forms from this website?
ATS has two forms that you can use during the application process; a Rental Application Form and a Notice to Tenant that advises the Prospective Tenant of the consequences should she/he leave you stuck with unpaid rental fees or damaged rental property. For all other forms please visit our affiliate website at www.landlordeguide.com. There you will find every form that your rental business requires; it is your rental business so make sure that you have all the tools to do the job.
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- How do I pay?
ATS requires an online payment at the time of ordering. You can pay by either Visa or MasterCard.
Credit card payments are processed through Global Payments Inc. which is one of the world's largest payment processors.
Your payment is processed in a secure and confidential environment.
ATS does not keep member's credit card information on file under any circumstance.
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- Does ATS Tenant Screen share its database with 3rd parties or participate in spam e-mail programs?
ATS is bound by Privacy Laws. It does not share its database with 3rd parties and it does not participate in spam e-mail programs. The only e-mail you are likely to receive from ATS is the Welcome Letter. Important notices may be sent out periodically that advise of website changes, etc. Only important e-mails will be sent to you.
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- How do I report unpaid rental fees and damaged rental property?
ATS is a Credit Reporting Agency that reports the debts of tenants who have left landlords stuck with unpaid rental fees and damaged rental property, resulting in a debt. The debt that you report must be over $200.00 and you will need to keep on file documents and other evidence (photos/witnesses) to support your allegation of debt. ATS makes it easy for you to report a Delinquent Tenant with its online reporting form.
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- What is the turnaround time for the credit report?
Most U.S. and CDN Credit Bureau Reports are completed and posted to your SECURE account within minutes. Equifax Canada takes 10-15 minutes during business hours. You can view them for a period of up to two weeks. By that time you should have made up your mind as to extending a lease or not. ATS deletes the report and you do not have to worry about the disposal of confidential information.
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- I have login problems. How should I proceed?
Our web site requires permission to use cookies on your machine. If you are experiencing problems when logging in, perhaps this permission has been denied. This can be for several different reasons, but they are all under your control:
- you may have disallowed cookies altogether in your browser.
- you may have the privacy policy in your browser or internet security software/firewall set to a level that stops cookies from being used by this site.
Cookies in this site are used to keep the privacy of your information and reports and keep you logged on.
Cookies are not used in any way that abuses your privacy or security.
Please change your settings to allow cookies either in your browser or firewall. If you choose not to, we're afraid that we cannot bring you online services.
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- Which documents should I provide to become a member?
Please click on the appropriate tab below to find out which documents are required from you:
- Landlord
- Realtor
- Property Manager
USA LANDLORD must provide ALL of the following documents:
Current telephone bill or cellular bill listing your name, your current residence and the number you listed on your application.
Clear copy of your valid driver's license or passport.
Proof of ownership for the rental property. This can be EITHER the current property tax record or the current insurance policy for the rental property.
A completed and signed copy of a rental application or agreement for each rental property you own.
NOTICE: TVS requires documentation in Compliance with Credit Bureau Policy.
CDN LANDLORD must provide ALL of the following documents:
Current telephone bill or cellular bill listing your name, your current residence and the number you listed on your application.
Clear copy of your valid driver's license or passport.
Proof of ownership for the rental property. This can be EITHER the current property tax record or the current insurance policy for the rental property.
USA REALTOR must provide ALL of the following documents:
A minimum of 3 completed and signed rental applications
A signed list of all apartment complexes and/or properties being managed. This list must include the apartment/property name and contact name, address and phone number
Copy of a valid Real Estate License
Clear copy of a valid driver's license or Passport
Current telephone or cellular bill. MUST be current and list your name, current residence, and the phone number listed on your application
Copy of a valid business license and website URL if one exists
CANADIAN REALTOR must provide ALL of the following documents:
Copy of a valid Real Estate License
Clear copy of a valid driver's license or Passport
Current telephone or cellular bill. MUST be current and list your name, current residence, and the phone number listed on your application
A signed copy of the listing or management agreement between you and the owner of the rental property
NOTICE: TVS requires documentation in Compliance with Credit Bureau Policy
USA PROPERTY MANAGER must provide ALL of the following documents:
A minimum of 3 completed and signed rental applications
A signed list of all apartment complexes and/or properties being managed. This list must include the apartment/property name and contact name, address and phone number
Clear copy of your valid Driver's License or Passport
Copy of a valid Business License (if applicable) and website URL if one exists
Current telephone or cellular bill. MUST be current and list your name, current residence, and the phone number listed on your application.
CANADIAN PROPERTY MANAGER must provide ALL of the following documents:
Clear copy of your valid Driver's License or Passport
Copy of a valid Business License (if applicable) and website URL if one exists
Current telephone or cellular bill. MUST be current and list your name, current residence, and the phone number listed on your application.
A signed copy of the listing or management agreement between you and the owner of the rental property
NOTICE: TVS requires documentation in Compliance with Credit Bureau Policy
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- How Accurate is your Data?
ATS is a provider of information obtained from various Agencies and they in turn obtain their information from many different sources and data bases. ATS does not verify or guarantee the accuracy of such data.
All data should be verified or discussed with the Individual whom it belongs to. If any of the data is incorrect, they should contact ATS for information on how to correct the inaccurate information that may be on file with the various Companies or data bases.
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- Why can't I obtain reports by Transunion?
Any Member deemed to reside in anyone of the Atlantic Provinces hereby acknowledges that Company cannot obtain Consumer Credit Reports for them from Trans Union of Canada. In order to obtain a Consumer Credit Report ATS Members are obliged to use Equifax and therefore are required to have a site inspection before account activation as per explanation.
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- Where is the data stored that I as a landlord enter into your website?
The data is stored on our secure website that is EI3PA compliant. The credit bureaus demand that consumer provided data is securely stored.
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- How often is the data purged?
The credit reports themselves are purged after three weeks from our online server and then stored for one year in an offline server. It is important to note that NO personal tenant/consumer information is stored at any time. The Consumer Report that you receive does not have any personal information on it. It verifies the DOB and SSN/SIN where provided but does not show it. There is no consumer information on TVS servers that could be used for identity theft purposes. Similarly when landlords apply for TVS membership, the personal information is electronically stripped from the file after 7 days.
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- How is it safeguarded?
EI3PA (search Google for explanation) This is a very high standard for securing a website. We have two sets of firewalls safeguarding the information, our servers are monitored 24/7 for intrusion and other problems, such as site down. Our Host Service Provider has contingency plans for things of this nature as does our IT Manager.
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- Has your data storage server ever been compromised?
No.
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- The phone bill is in my spouse's name, can I still send it?
Yes, you can send the bill but you will also need to send a copy of your spouse's drivers license or provide an additional document along with the phone bill that has both your names on it.
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- What do I do if the phone bill is in a company name?
You still need to send the phone bill and you will also need to send a document that verifies you are part of that company.
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- What if the phone bill is under a family plan?
Send the phone bill and also include a piece of ID for the individual whose name appears on the bill.
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- What do I do If my phone is through my computer (VOIP)?
You should be able to print something from the provider showing your name and phone number. If this statement does not list your address you will need to submit a utility bill along with this to show your current address.
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- I am having trouble retrieving my reports.
If you get a blank page when clicking a link to browse an ATS report, please verify that you are using the latest Adobe Acrobat version available. Check Adobe Acrobat website for the latest version.
Sometimes cleaning your browser's cache can do the trick.
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- Why I am being asked to provide answers to security questions?
This is a security measure that most online companies have resorted to. Your financial institution and many brokerage type companies are doing it.
ATS is doing it to protect your account and the Experian provided data that is accessible with your username and password. Hackers and identity thieves are in partnership to steal personal information for fraudulent purposes. It is up to you the End User and to us the Reseller of Consumer information, to safeguard that to the best of our ability. Making sure that it is you... accessing the ATS database from a different IP address is the smart thing to do and it is the responsible thing to do.
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- When am I going to be asked the security questions?
ATS system will ask you security questions when any of the following events occur: - You login to ATS for the first time on a computer after this security feature has been implemented.
- You login to ATS using a different computer/browser from the last login. Perhaps you are at a different location.
- If you clear your browser cookies or history browser. In other words your PC does not store ATS cookies.
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- How do security questions work?
When you correctly answer your security questions, a cookie is stored (for the session or for 30 days), so next time you login, you will not be asked again.
Beware that if you clear your cookies or browsing history (Firefox), or set your security level to high (Internet Explorer), you might have to answer questions each time you login to ATS.Check browser settings to ensure that cookies are not cleared when you close your browser at the end of the day.
You must answer 3 security questions, which ATS has chosen for you. After that... and at first login, you will be asked one question. If you answer correctly, you are in. If you do not answer correctly you will be given two more opportunities with the other two security questions that you answered. If you fail all 3 security questions, your login will be disabled and you will have to call ATS for reactivation. So be certain that you remember the answers you provide for the questions.
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- How can I change my security questions?
You can set your security questions from your "My Info" page, or go directly using this link.
Remember: you will not be able to edit previous answers provided; you can only set new ones. This is also a security measure to protect answers that only you should know.
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- How often will I be asked the security questions?
Security questions will last for the session. (Until you close your browser or turn off your pc).
If you check the box "Don't ask me again on this computer", you won't be asked for the next 30 days.
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- My login has been disabled because I could not correctly answer the security questions. What should I do?
Call ATS during business hours toll free 877-974-9328 or 604-576-3004 so an Operator can reactivate your account. Or email info@atenantscreen.com for assistance. Please provide a telephone # that you can be reached at.
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- What documents do I need to send if I am doing this on behalf of a friend or family member?
- Current telephone or cellular bill. MUST be current and list your name, current residence, and the phone number listed on your application.
- Proof of identification (valid driver's license or Passport).
- 3. Proof of ownership for each rental property ; either a current copy of the insurance policy showing the name of the owner and the rental property address OR a current copy of the property tax notice showing the name of the owner and the rental property address.
- 4. A completed and signed copy of a rental application or agreement for each rental property (For US Members only).
- A notarized document stating that you have permission to perform tenant screening or that you are in charge of managing the rental property on behalf of the owner. This document should list your name and address, the owner's name and address and the rental property address. It should be dated, signed and stamped by a notary public.
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