Full Credit Review
We read the whole credit report, not only the score: payment history, collections and debt load.
Tenant Screening Services
Tenant Screening That Goes Beyond a Credit Score
The resident you choose decides almost everything that follows: whether rent arrives on time, how the home is treated and how long it stays occupied. A credit score alone does not tell you that. Zamzam Property Management screens every applicant against the same written standards, so each decision is consistent, documented and fair.
This page explains what we check, how the decision is made and what the law requires along the way.
What We Check on Every Applicant
What Our Screening Covers
Every application goes through the same steps, in the same order.
- Rental application
- Pay stubs and proof of income
- Employment verification
- Rental history
- Full credit report
- Payment history and collections
- Eviction court records
- Criminal background check
- Sex offender registry check
- OFAC list verification
- Applicant scoring
- Written qualification standards
- Fair housing compliant applications
- Consistent standards for everyone
- Decision documented
- Records kept on file
How We Screen an Applicant
From the first showing to a signed lease, here is what happens.
Before the Decision:
- Showings. We meet prospective residents throughout the week and on weekends.
- Application. Each applicant completes a rental application that meets fair housing requirements.
- Documents. We collect pay stubs, rental history and employment details.
- Reports. We run credit, criminal background, eviction history, sex offender registry and OFAC checks.
- Scoring. The applicant is graded against our written qualification standards.
After the Decision:
- Lease prepared. We draft and finalize the rental terms.
- Move-in date confirmed. We coordinate a start date with the new resident.
- Rules reviewed. We go over payment terms, maintenance responsibilities and other key lease guidelines.
- Move-in payments collected. First month’s rent and the security deposit are received before occupancy.
- Condition documented. The resident records the condition of the home and signs a condition report within seven days of move-in.
Fair Housing and Screening Rules
Screening has rules. These are the ones owners most often get wrong.
What the Law Requires:
- The same standards for everyone. Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status and disability. Michigan law adds more protected categories.
- Source of income is protected in Michigan. Since April 2, 2025, a lawful source of income, including a Housing Choice Voucher, cannot be the reason an applicant is turned down. Read more from the Fair Housing Center.
- Notice after a report-based denial. If an applicant is turned down because of information in a credit or background report, federal law requires a notice that says so and names the company that supplied the report.
- Assistance animals are not pets. A service or assistance animal for a person with a disability is handled as a reasonable accommodation, not under the pet policy.
Mistakes That Cause Problems:
- Different standards for different people. Changing the bar from one applicant to the next is the fastest way into a fair housing complaint.
- Nothing in writing. A decision with no file behind it is hard to defend later.
- Checking only the credit score. A score says nothing about past evictions or whether the income is real.
- Skipping verification. Pay stubs and employers should be confirmed, not taken at face value.
- Rushing to fill a vacancy. The wrong resident costs far more than a few extra days of vacancy.
Getting Started with Zamzam
Screening Is Part of Full-Service Management
Screening is one piece of what we do for every rental we manage. We also market the home, show it, prepare the lease, collect rent, handle maintenance and send you monthly statements.
Good screening pays off for years: fewer late payments, fewer evictions and a home that stays occupied longer.
Tenant Screening Services FAQ
What does your tenant screening include?
A full credit review, employment and income verification, a criminal background check in local and national databases, an eviction history search across multiple court records, a sex offender registry check and OFAC verification. Each applicant is then graded against our written qualification standards.
Why is a credit score not enough?
A score is a single number. It does not show past evictions, whether the stated income is real, or how the applicant treated a previous rental. We read the full report and verify the rest.
Do you check eviction history?
Yes. We search multiple court records for prior eviction filings as part of every screening.
How do you verify income and employment?
We collect pay stubs and other proof of income and confirm employment, so we know the household can afford the rent and that the job is stable.
Can an applicant with a Housing Choice Voucher be turned down?
Not because of the voucher. Since April 2, 2025, Michigan law treats a lawful source of income, including a Housing Choice Voucher, as a protected category in rental housing. The same screening standards still apply to every applicant.
What happens when an applicant is denied?
The decision is documented. When the denial is based on information in a credit or background report, federal law requires a notice telling the applicant so and naming the company that supplied the report.
Do you use the same standards for every applicant?
Yes. Every applicant is graded against the same pre-set qualification standards. Consistent standards are both fair and the best protection against a fair housing complaint.
Is tenant screening included in property management?
Yes. Screening is part of leasing for every rental we manage, along with marketing, showings and preparing the lease.
Talk to Us About Your Rental
Request a free rental analysis and we will tell you what your home could rent for. Prefer to talk? Call 248-592-7688.
Tell Us About Your Rental:
- Property address and number of bedrooms
- Whether the home is vacant or occupied
- Current rent, if it is rented
- Any problem you are dealing with right now
- What you want from the property
Sources: HUD, Fair Housing Act overview; Federal Trade Commission, using consumer reports: what landlords need to know; Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit, source of income. Rules change. This page is general information, not legal advice.