A portable tenant screening report is a report the applicant gets from a screening provider and hands to you, instead of you ordering one. Accept it only when it is recent, can be verified with the provider that issued it and covers everything your written criteria require. If it is old, unverifiable or missing pieces, ask for the applicant's written authorization and run your own check.
What a portable tenant screening report is
A portable report belongs to the applicant. They order it or receive it from a screening provider, then share a copy or a secure link with each landlord they apply to. A landlord-ordered check works the other way round: you request it, and the applicant authorizes it.
What is inside depends on the provider. Many include a credit report drawn from a Canadian credit bureau, plus identity details. Some add rental history or income and employment confirmation. Ask for the full report, not a one-page summary or an "approved" badge, and measure every line against your own criteria.
| Question | Portable report | Report you order |
|---|---|---|
| Who requests it | The applicant | You or your manager |
| Whose permission | The applicant chose to share it | The applicant authorizes you in writing |
| How current | As of the date it was produced, which may predate the application | Pulled for this application |
| How you verify it | Through the provider, if it offers a way | It reaches you from the source |
| What may be missing | Anything that provider leaves out | Only what you choose not to request |
When to accept a portable report
Accepting one is your call, and the rules leave room for it. Ontario's regulation on selecting tenants says a landlord may request credit references and rental history, may ask the applicant for authorization to conduct credit checks, and may consider what comes back. It does not say a landlord must accept a report the applicant supplies. So write your rule down and use it for every applicant.
A workable rule of thumb is four tests. A portable report passes only if it meets all four.
- Recent. Set a cut-off in your written criteria. A credit file changes as accounts are opened, paid down or disputed, so an old report can describe a different situation from today's.
- Verifiable. You can confirm it with the provider that issued it, through a link, a code or a direct email, and not only from the applicant's copy.
- Complete. It covers each item your criteria require. If you also need rental history or income confirmation and the report has neither, you still have work to do.
- Consistent. The name, date of birth and addresses match the application and the identification you saw.
Offer both routes in your listing: bring a recent portable report, or authorize your own check. An applicant who cannot or does not want to buy a report should never be shut out of your process.
When to run your own check with consent
Run your own check when a report fails any of the four tests. Common triggers are a report older than your cut-off, a score with no detail behind it, an issuer you cannot reach, details that do not match the file, or a co-applicant or guarantor who has no report at all.
Get the applicant's written authorization first. The tenant-selection regulation lets a landlord request that authorization. Separately, the Consumer Reporting Act requires written notice to a person before information about them is obtained from a consumer reporting agency and, if they ask, the name and address of that agency. Our posts on running a credit check for a rental application and background check consent cover the paperwork.
A fresh pull matters for another reason. Under the same Act, a consumer can dispute an item in their file, and the agency must try to confirm it and correct it where needed. A copy saved weeks ago may no longer match what the agency holds today.
How to check a tenant screening report you are handed
- Ask for the original. Request the provider's email, verification link or code. A screenshot or a re-typed PDF proves nothing.
- Name the issuer. Credit information comes from consumer reporting agencies, and the Act says no one may act as one unless registered with the Registrar. If you cannot tell who produced the report, treat it as unverified.
- Match the details. Compare the date, full name, date of birth and address history with the application and the ID you viewed.
- Look for edits. Mismatched fonts, misaligned fields, blurred sections and missing page numbers are warning signs. Our post on rental application fraud lists more.
- Confirm the rest separately. A credit report does not prove income or rental history. Call the references, contact the employer and compare pay documents. Under the same regulation, income information is considered together with the other information you requested, not alone.
- Write down what you did. Note the report date, how you verified it and who you spoke to.
Once it passes, our guide to interpreting tenant screening reports helps you read it.
How to get a tenant screening report for free, and what one costs
The one report that is free to get is your own credit report. Ontario's page on credit reports says you can request your report from any consumer reporting agency online once a month free of charge, and it names Equifax and TransUnion as the two largest agencies in Ontario. The Consumer Reporting Act also lets a person request their file in writing, including electronically, and generally bars the agency from charging for that disclosure unless the regulations allow it.
A free credit report is not the same product as a paid rental screening report, which may add identity, rental history or income checks. Providers set their own prices and terms, so read the provider's page for what it charges and who pays. This post does not quote a figure.
For landlords, one rule matters here. The Residential Tenancies Act bars a landlord from collecting a fee from a prospective tenant, with limited exceptions set by regulation, and it applies the same bar to a property manager acting for the landlord. Treat a portable report as an option the applicant may choose, never as a charge you add. Ask the LTB or a licensed paralegal how that section applies to your situation.
Privacy, fairness and your decision record
A screening report holds sensitive information. Store it securely, limit who can see it, do not forward it, and delete it when your retention policy says to. Collect only what your criteria need.
Apply the same criteria to every applicant. The Ontario Human Rights Code protects the right to equal treatment in renting, including for people who receive public assistance, so base decisions on the credit, rental history and income information the regulation allows. If an applicant asks whether a consumer report was used, the Consumer Reporting Act says you must tell them and name the agency that supplied it.
Keep a short decision record: your criteria, what you reviewed, the dates and the reason for your decision. If you would rather not handle reports yourself, a manager can run consent-based checks and keep those records. See tenant screening and placement with D&D Property Management, which starts with a free consultation and a written scope.
Portable screening report questions landlords ask
What is a portable tenant screening report?
It is a screening report that the applicant obtains from a provider and shares with landlords, so each landlord does not order a new one. Contents vary by provider but often include credit information and identity details, and sometimes rental history or income confirmation. Ask for the full report and confirm it with the issuer.
Do I have to accept a portable report from an applicant?
The Ontario regulation on selecting tenants says a landlord may request credit references, rental history and authorization to run credit checks. It does not require a landlord to accept a report the applicant supplies. Set a written rule, apply it to everyone and offer your own consent-based check as the alternative.
How much is a portable tenant screening report?
Providers set their own prices and decide who pays, so the answer is on the provider's own page and may change. No Ontario source sets one price. Do not charge an applicant a fee of your own, because the Residential Tenancies Act limits fees collected from prospective tenants.
How can a tenant get a screening report for free?
A tenant can request their own credit report online, free of charge, once a month from a consumer reporting agency such as Equifax or TransUnion, according to Ontario.ca. That is a credit report, not a paid rental screening report with extra checks. A landlord may still ask for references, rental history or authorization to run a check.
How do I check a tenant screening report is genuine?
Ask for the provider's original email or verification link, confirm the issuer and the date, and match the name, birth date and addresses to the application and ID. Look for signs of editing. Then verify income and rental history separately with the employer and references.
Let D&D Property Management Handle It
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Get a Free ConsultationKey Takeaways
- A portable report is supplied by the applicant, so you must confirm who issued it and when.
- Accept one only if it is recent, verifiable, complete and consistent with the application and ID.
- Otherwise ask for written authorization and run your own check, and tell the applicant which agency you used if they ask.
- A free credit report is not the same as a paid rental screening report, and landlords should not charge applicants a fee.
- Apply one written rule to every applicant and keep a short decision record.
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