Do Apartments Look At TransUnion Or Equifax Credit Scores?

Landlords usually pull a credit report from TransUnion or Equifax, rarely Experian, and the specific bureau depends on the screening service or the property manager's contract.

• Most property management firms partner with a screening company that defaults to either TransUnion or Equifax; the chosen partner dictates the bureau pulled.
• Some landlords have a preference based on past experience, so they may request a specific bureau when they run the report themselves.
• Regional trends can influence the choice; certain states see more TransUnion pulls, others more Equifax.
• If a landlord uses a manual background check instead of an automated service, they often request the bureau they trust most, which is typically one of the two.
• When a rental application includes a 'credit bureau of choice' field, the applicant's selection tells the landlord which report to request.

Property managers decide which credit bureau to pull by defaulting to the bureau their chosen screening vendor contracts with, because the vendor's pricing and turnaround time are built into the lease‑application workflow. State regulations that restrict certain data also steer the choice, so if a jurisdiction limits the use of one bureau's reports, managers will automatically pull the other.

When vendors allow flexibility, managers may pick the bureau that historically shows the applicant's rental‑payment history or that aligns with their property‑management software's integration. Some rotate between TransUnion and Equifax to catch discrepancies, a tactic explored in the next section on how screening companies use both bureaus. For a deeper look at vendor‑bureau relationships, see the recent analysis by the National Association of Rental Providers: screening vendors and bureau choice.

Rental screening companies pull data from both TransUnion and Equifax, yet they treat each bureau's report in slightly different ways.

When a company runs a TransUnion pull, it usually orders the TransUnion Residential Screening Report. That file combines the traditional credit score with a proprietary rent‑payment module, so landlords see on‑time rent history alongside credit‑card usage. TransUnion also flags public records and collections that are older than seven years, which many property managers consider a red flag.

An Equifax pull typically generates the Equifax Tenant Screening Report. This version emphasizes the FICO score and includes a separate 'Rental History' section that lists previous leases, but it does not always merge the rent‑payment data into the credit score summary. Equifax tends to list newer medical collections and charge‑off accounts more prominently, which can affect a landlord's decision if they focus on recent delinquencies.

Both reports feed the same core credit information, but the layout and emphasis differ enough that a prospective tenant might score higher on one bureau's screen than the other, a point you'll explore in the next section on 'Will your landlord see VantageScore or FICO?'

Landlords usually see the score that the rental‑screening service provides, which is most often a VantageScore, not a traditional FICO. A few owners can request a FICO, but that is the exception.

• Screening companies pull data from TransUnion or Equifax and run it through the VantageScore 3.0 algorithm.
• Many services also generate a custom 'landlord score' that blends credit factors with rental‑history data.
• If a landlord orders a raw credit report from a bureau, the report will contain a FICO score, but that requires a separate request.
• Because the model varies, ask the property manager which score they will review before you apply.
• This distinction matters when you read the next section on how rental history appears across bureaus.

Yes, your rental history can show up differently on TransUnion and Equifax because each bureau receives data from a distinct set of landlords and third‑party reporting services.

Landlords often submit rent payments to only one bureau, and many rent‑reporting platforms (for example, RentTrack or PayYourRent) partner with TransUnion but not Equifax, or vice‑versa. Consequently, one bureau may list several months of on‑time payments while the other shows no rental activity at all.

Because the records differ, a screening company that pulls a TransUnion report might see a strong rental track record, while the same applicant could look thin on an Equifax pull. The best way to know what a landlord will see is to request a free consumer report from each bureau and compare the entries.

You can identify the credit bureau an apartment application will use by checking the paperwork, confirming with the landlord, and verifying against your own reports.

1. Open the rental application or online portal. Look for a field that says 'Credit bureau used' or lists TransUnion or Equifax. The name is often printed right under the credit‑score box.
2. If the form is silent, email or call the property manager and ask, 'Which credit bureau will you pull for the screening?' A quick reply usually tells you the exact bureau.
3. Review any confirmation email or text from the leasing office. Screening companies often reference the bureau in the subject line, e.g., 'Your TransUnion credit check is pending.'
4. Pull your own credit reports from each bureau at Annual Credit Report. Compare the scores you see with the score shown in the landlord's portal; the matching bureau is the one they will use.
5. For an extra safety net, run a free bureau‑specific preview on The Credit People. The preview shows which bureau's data is currently linked to your name, confirming the source the landlord will likely access.

When TransUnion and Equifax give you different scores, compare the two reports, correct any inaccuracies, and decide which number to present to a landlord.

Steps to resolve the mismatch

• Pull your free credit reports from both TransUnion and Equifax (you can request them online).
• Highlight any differences in personal information, account status, or recent activity.
• Verify that all listed accounts belong to you; remove duplicates or fraudulent entries.
• Dispute identified errors directly with the offending bureau; most disputes are resolved within 30 days.
• If both reports are accurate but scores still diverge, use the higher score when you apply, and be ready to explain the variance to the property manager.

Once you've cleaned up the reports, the next section shows how to dispute lingering errors before you submit a rental application.

Dispute any credit bureau errors as soon as you spot them, before you submit a rental application. Pull your TransUnion and Equifax reports, compare each line, and flag any inaccurate account, balance, or status. Gather the original statement, payment receipt, or court document that proves the correct information, then file an online dispute through the bureau's website (TransUnion's TransUnion online dispute portal or Equifax's Equifax online dispute page) with a brief, factual description and the supporting file; the bureau must investigate within 30 days.

After filing, watch the status updates and respond promptly if the bureau requests more evidence; once it resolves, download the updated report to confirm the correction before you apply. If the error persists, add a consumer statement to your credit file explaining the dispute, which rental screening companies will see alongside the score. Clearing the mistake now prevents a lower TransUnion or Equifax rating from derailing your apartment hunt.

Boost the score the landlord sees by targeting the specific credit bureau they pull.

Definition

- When a landlord runs a screening, the report comes from a single credit bureau - usually TransUnion or Equifax. That 'exact bureau' determines which version of your credit history and score the landlord reviews, so any differences between bureaus directly affect your rental chances.

Examples

- First, request the free annual report from the likely bureau (see the '5 quick steps' section). Scan it for errors; dispute any inaccuracies through the bureau's online portal, such as a mis‑reported late payment.

Next, lower the utilization ratio on accounts reported to that bureau; a $500 balance on a $2,000 limit shows 25 % utilization on TransUnion but may appear lower on Equifax if the creditor reports a different limit. Pay down the highest‑utilized cards that the bureau lists first. Then, avoid new hard inquiries for at least 30 days before the application, because the bureau will record them immediately. Keep payment history spotless; set up automatic payments to guarantee on‑time reporting. Finally, keep older accounts open, as length of credit history improves the bureau's score; closing a long‑standing account can hurt the specific report the landlord will see.

For step‑by‑step dispute guidance, see how to dispute errors on a credit report.

If a landlord runs a manual background check instead of a credit bureau pull, they will not see your TransUnion or Equifax score unless you supply a copy yourself, so they rely on employment verification, income statements, and rental references. You can obtain a free credit report that includes all three bureaus through the free annual credit report from all bureaus and hand the highest score to the landlord, which often improves approval odds.

Because no bureau data is automatically retrieved, errors that normally appear on a TransUnion or Equifax report may go unnoticed, making it wise to review the report before you share it. This manual approach sidesteps the decision process described in 'which credit bureau will your landlord check?' but the strategies in 'how to improve the exact bureau landlords check' still help if you later submit a report, and the next section explains why some landlords still add a soft pull through a screening company after manual steps.