Tenant Screening Calculator
Get an instant screening recommendation for rental applicants. Calculate income-to-rent ratio, credit risk level, and approval decision — plus Fair Housing compliance checklist and bad-tenant cost analysis for landlords.
Standard landlord screening checklist — industry best practices:
Recommended Security Deposit
$1,800 — 1x rent — standard
Fair Housing Act — Protected Classes
You CANNOT deny tenancy based on: Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, Familial Status, Disability. Many states add: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Source of Income, Age, Marital Status.
Legal Screening Criteria — You CAN use these:
Documentation Requirement
Keep written records of every screening decision and your written criteria. If you deny an applicant, provide an Adverse Action Notice referencing the specific objective reason (e.g., "income below 3x rent threshold"). Never document decisions that reference protected classes.
How to Use This Tenant Screening Calculator
Enter the key applicant metrics to get an instant screening recommendation based on industry-standard criteria:
- Monthly Rent: The rent amount for the unit in question. All income ratios and risk calculations are relative to this number.
- Applicant Monthly Income: Use gross (pre-tax) income. Verify this with pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, or bank statements — self-reported income must be verified.
- Credit Score Range: Pull a full tri-bureau credit report. The score range indicates default probability, not just creditworthiness in general.
- Employment Type: W-2 employees are easiest to verify. Self-employed and contractors require 2 years of tax returns to establish income reliability.
- Prior Evictions: Any prior eviction is a major red flag. One eviction suggests a 3–5x higher probability of another. Check nationwide eviction databases, not just local courts.
The 3x Income Rule Explained
The most widely used screening standard is the 3x rent income requirement — an applicant's gross monthly income must be at least three times the monthly rent. This ensures that housing costs represent no more than 33% of income, leaving sufficient budget for food, transportation, utilities, and emergencies.
Minimum Acceptable: 2.5x (borderline — add conditions)
Standard Threshold: 3.0x (industry standard)
Strong Applicant: 3.5x+ (comfortable approval)
Example: $1,800/month rent → require $5,400/month gross income
Below 2.5x, even small financial disruptions — a car repair, medical bill, or temporary income reduction — can lead to missed rent. The 3x rule is a risk management tool, not an arbitrary hurdle.
Credit Score and Default Risk
Credit scores are the single best predictor of payment behavior available to landlords. TransUnion and Experian research consistently shows the correlation between score range and payment default probability:
| Credit Score | Rating | Default Risk | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 750+ | Excellent | ~2% | Approve — ideal tenant profile |
| 700–749 | Good | ~5% | Approve — standard terms |
| 650–699 | Fair | ~8% | Conditional — higher deposit |
| 550–649 | Poor | ~20% | High risk — co-signer required |
| Below 550 | Bad | ~35% | Deny — unacceptable risk |
A 35% default rate means roughly 1 in 3 tenants with sub-550 scores will default on rent. At $1,800/month rent, the expected value of accepting such a tenant (factoring eviction costs) is strongly negative.
The Real Cost of a Bad Tenant
Real-World Eviction Cost Breakdown
| Lost rent during eviction process (avg 2-3 months) | $3,600–$5,400 |
| Attorney fees | $1,500–$5,000 |
| Court filing fees | $200–$500 |
| Marshal/sheriff fees | $200–$400 |
| Property damage (beyond deposit) | $2,000–$15,000 |
| Cleaning and turnover | $500–$2,000 |
| Vacancy during re-rental | $1,800–$5,400 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $9,800–$33,700 |
Full screening costs roughly $50–$90 per applicant. Even at the high end, that's 200–300x less than the cost of one failed tenancy. There is no rational argument against thorough screening.