Overview
This article describes how to get started using RentScreener PRO. By the end of this article you will know the following:
- How to get around RentScreener
- How to review your application
- How do applicants apply
- What happens when an application is submitted
- How do I run credit and background reports
- How do I approve and decline applications
Please note that this article assumes you are screening applicants with your TransUnion account. If you are on RentScreener PRO with RentReport screening please refer to our RentScreener Basic User Guide for details.
Navigate RentScreener
We will now review how to navigate RentScreener. Please be aware that if you do not have permissions to some sections of the application you may not see all the links on your screen. If you need a further explanation of permissions please see the Permissions article.
Lets begin by reviewing the navigation. On the far left of your screen is the navigation bar this is where you can move between section of RentScreener.
The first icon will take you to your dashboard. This is your homepage and where you can go to get a quick snap shot of information that is important to you.
The second icon will take you to the invite page. This page allows you to invite applicants to apply for your properties. You can also use the advanced features to configure property information such as address, city, rent amount, etc...
The third icon is where you can find all your submitted applications. From this page you can search for applications by applicants name, address, etc... If you are looking for older applications this is the place to start.
The fourth icon is the application editor. The application editor allows you to configure what information you want to request from applicant and what fields are required. For more information on using the application editor please see the Application Editor article.
The fifth icon is where you can configure your high level application settings. From here you can set how much you charge for applications, who gets notified when applications are submitted, your application's terms and conditions and much more. For more information on RentScreener PRO settings please see the Settings article.
The sixth icon is the payments and payouts section. From here you can search for application payments, review payment information, request refunds for an application fee, and view payout (checks sent to you from RentScreener) details. For more information on the payments and payouts section please see the Payments and Payouts article.
Review Your Application
Now that you know how to get around the sections of RentScreener. Lets see how you can open and review your application. From your Dashboard click on the Open Application button (see below). This will open your application as your applicants will see it.
The application is a stepped process meaning that the applicant will fill out the required fields on the current section and progress to the next section and repeat this process until they pay and submit the application. The steps are displayed on the right hand side of the application screen. The current step will be highlighted and completed steps will be checked (see below).
If you want to review all steps of your application you can do so by filling out the required fields and progressing through the application. Just do not pay for the application as it will charge you and add the application to your dashboard. If you want to change the application you can change the fields in the Application Editor (see Application Editor for more details) or adjust your terms in your settings (see Settings for more details).
How do Applicants Apply?
Applicant's can apply in one of several ways. The first way is to use RentScreener's invite feature (see Invite Feature for more details). This feature sends an email to the potential tenant with a link to your application for them to fill out.
The second way is to add a link to your website to your application link. This will allow visitors to your website to access and complete your application.
The third way is if your website is provided by PMW (Property Manager Websites) and you use the widgets they provide from Free Rental Site you can have a link on each listing that will automatically configure the property on the application (filling in address, address2, city, state, zip, rent amount and security deposit). This also requires your RentScreener account to be connected to your Free Rental Site account. See the Free Rental Site App Feature for further details on connecting your accounts.
What happens when an Application is Submitted?
Once an application is submitted an email will be sent to the configured email address or addresses. This email will provide a link to the view the application. If you are already logged into RentScreener the submitted application appear on your Dashboard in your Pending Applications list (see below). From here you can view application details, assign the application to a user (see Assign Application Feature for more details), or status the application (see Status Application Features for more details).
To begin working with the application click on the view application link (see below).
How do I run Credit and Background Reports
If your RentScreener account is configured to use your TransUnion account you can run credit report directly through RentScreener. On the application view page you will see the following. The buttons to run credit reports are highlighted.
The button on the top right contains a list of actions that can be applied to the application. This includes running credit reports, sending messages to applicants, adding notes to the application, and changing the application status. The second button is a short cut link to run credit reports. If you want to run the reports for each applicant click this button. For further details on this screen please refer to the Application View article.
To run a credit report click on the button. A popup will appear to confirm the details you wish to run (see below). Confirm the details and click the Run button.
Please note that based on your agreement with RentScreener the price for the package you selected will be shown and the fee is charged per applicant. Once you run the report the charges will be made to your account.
You will now be forwarded into TransUnion Credit Retriever to view and process reports. The following screen should appear and then forward you to TransUnion.