Consent, every time
The applicant sees who's asking and what will be checked before anything runs. Consent is logged with the report, not buried in fine print.
Tenant screening for independent landlords
One unit is still your whole portfolio.
You don't get a second try at the same unit. Here's how to screen a tenant properly, in Canada or the US: RentKey verifies the person, pulls the credit file, checks sanctions and eviction records, and hands you one report — before you hand over a key.
One invite, start to finish
What you get with one invite.
No account setup to speak of, no software to learn. Send one link and the rest happens on the applicant's phone.
-
Send the link
Email or text a screening invite. Pick the package and choose whether you or the applicant pays.
30 seconds -
They verify
The applicant scans a government photo ID and completes a short liveness check on their own phone. No app, no SIN required.
About 3 minutes -
Report lands
Credit, sanctions and court checks run against the identity that was just verified and land in one branded PDF with a plain-language summary.
Minutes, not days -
You decide
Approve, decline, or ask a follow-up question — with the adverse-action notice already drafted if you need to send one.
Same sitting
Do the math
The real cost of a bad tenant.
These are your numbers, not ours — RentKey doesn't publish a default figure for what a bad tenancy costs. Move the sliders to match your unit and your province or state, and see what a screening report is actually standing between you and.
Tribunal timelines vary by province and state.
Estimated cost of one bad tenancy
Lost rentCA$8,800
RepairsCA$2,500
LegalCA$1,200
VacancyCA$2,200
Verify Pro reports that money would buy300
Illustrative. Uses your inputs only; excludes your own time and stress.
Read the fine print
What a typical service leaves out.
The pitch you'll hear elsewhere, and what it usually means once you read past the headline.
"Free for landlords"
The applicant pays, typically around US$35–55, and the report you receive is usually lighter — a credit pull with no identity verification behind it.
"Backed by a bureau"
One credit-bureau file, checked against a name someone typed. Nothing confirms the applicant is who they say they are.
"Results in minutes"
Often true — but fast against a typed name and a domestic database isn't the same as fast against a verified identity.
"Peace of mind"
Frequently a paid rent-guarantee insurance product, sold alongside the screening rather than instead of it.
"Trusted by thousands"
A distribution number, not a coverage number. It says nothing about what was actually checked on your applicant.
Rules of the road
Screening one applicant, done by the book.
You're responsible for using a screening report fairly. Here's what RentKey handles on your behalf.
No SIN required
Name and date of birth are enough to start — no SIN or SSN required to run the report. It only speeds up bureau matching, and you can't require one.
Applicant-pays restrictions
Some provinces and states restrict charging an applicant a screening fee. The invite flags it automatically and defaults to landlord-pays.
Human-rights & fair-housing codes
Reports show verifiable facts, not protected characteristics or social-media scoring. What you see is what you can lawfully act on.
Adverse-action notices
If a finding leads you to decline an applicant, the notice you're required to give them is already drafted and included with the report.
Keeping the report
Reports are kept for seven years. When that window closes the report is deleted, and the deletion itself is recorded.
Pricing
Pricing for one unit.
No subscription, no minimum number of screenings. Pay for the report you run, or let the applicant pay instead.
TBD
per report, identity and credit included
TBD
monthly fees or setup charges
You choose
who pays — you or the applicant
Questions
First-time landlord? Start here.
Do I need an account?
Yes, but it takes a minute to set up and there's nothing to configure beforehand. Create an account, send your first invite, and the applicant does the rest on their own phone.
What if the applicant refuses the selfie?
Identity verification is how the rest of the report gets tied to a real person, so it isn't optional within a RentKey screening. An applicant who won't complete it hasn't completed the screening — that's information too.
Can I screen a couple or a co-signer?
Yes. Send one invite per adult applicant on the lease, including a co-signer or guarantor. Each gets their own verified identity and their own report.
How do I decline someone fairly?
Base the decision on what's in the report — verifiable facts, not a hunch. If a finding contributed to your decision, send the adverse-action notice included with that report; it names what you're required to disclose.
Can I use it in Quebec, in French?
You can screen a property in Quebec today, in English. A French-language interface is planned but not yet available — we'll update this page when it ships.
Is my own information checked?
No. RentKey verifies the applicant you invite, not you. Your account holds your billing and contact details, nothing more.
Early access
Screen the one applicant who matters right now.
Tell us where your unit is. We'll reply within one business day.
