What Credit Bureau Do Apartments Use?

• Most apartments check TransUnion.
• Recent rental‑screening surveys show 60‑70 % of landlords use TransUnion as their primary source, confirming its market dominance.
• TransUnion maintains the widest nationwide renter database, so large property managers default to it for consistency.
• Many smaller landlords follow the same practice because third‑party screening tools (e.g., RentPrep, Cozy) automatically pull the TransUnion report, simplifying their workflow.

Landlords pull TransUnion most often, using it in roughly 65 % of rental applications. The bureau's nationwide coverage and integration with most property‑management software make it the default choice.

As discussed in the previous section on which bureau apartments check, TransUnion's dominance stems from its deep partnership network and fast‑response scores. Equifax still appears in niche markets, especially where landlords seek additional verification, which we'll explore next. Recent findings from a 2023 rental‑screening survey show TransUnion dominance 2023 rental‑screening survey shows TransUnion dominance.

Equifax supplies the backup credit file that apartments turn to when TransUnion's report doesn't cover a prospective tenant. It delivers a core credit score, eviction history, and the RentBureau database that aggregates millions of rent‑payment records, so property managers can confirm on‑time payments even if a renter lacks a traditional credit score.

A 2023 industry survey shows roughly 30 % of landlords pull an Equifax report, especially regional chains and software platforms that integrate the RentBureau feed. Because Equifax also offers utility‑payment data, some landlords use it to verify income for applicants with thin credit.

• Core credit score and detailed eviction marks → baseline risk assessment
• RentBureau rent‑payment history → proof of on‑time rent for thin‑credit renters
• Utility‑payment data → additional income verification
• Integrated into many property‑management systems → automated screening workflow

For more on the RentBureau product, see Equifax RentBureau service.

Experian checks apartments can't ignore are the credit score, the RentBureau payment history, and any eviction record that appears on the report. Landlords pull this data because it gives a direct view of how reliably a tenant has paid previous rent.

Beyond those three items, landlords also scan for bankruptcies, tax liens, recent hard inquiries, and utility‑payment delinquencies that Experian tags onto the file. A low VantageScore or a recent hard pull can instantly tip the scales against an applicant, especially when apartments weigh Experian data more heavily than TransUnion or Equifax. For details on the RentBureau service, see Experian RentBureau service details.

Pull all three credit reports - TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian - before you submit any rental application so you know exactly what each bureau will show landlords.

1. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com and request your free report from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
2. Scan each report for errors, outdated addresses, or missing rental history.
3. Dispute any inaccuracies through the bureau's online portal; resolve them before applying.
4. Note differences (e.g., a higher score on Experian) and be ready to explain them if a landlord asks.
5. Use the cleaned reports to pre‑emptively address potential red flags, increasing your chances with apartments that favor any of the three bureaus.

Complexes that need a wider picture of a tenant's credit often choose Experian's VantageScore. VantageScore is a three‑bureau scoring model that weighs recent payment patterns, including rent, utilities and telecom bills that Experian captures through its RentBureau data. Because the score reflects on‑time rental behavior, many landlords believe it predicts lease performance better than traditional FICO scores.

For example, the Avalon apartment brand in California lists Experian's VantageScore as the required credit metric on its online application. A recent 2023 National Apartment Association rental screening survey reported that 18% of property‑management firms prefer Experian's VantageScore specifically for its inclusion of rent‑payment history. Mid‑west complexes such as Greenfield Living also cite the model's broader data set when deciding which credit score to pull.

Private landlords most often skip Experian when they run a credit check.

• Many low‑volume landlords use free or low‑cost tenant‑screening services that default to TransUnion or Equifax only;
• Experian reports are harder to access without a paid subscription, raising the cost for a single‑unit owner;
• The data most landlords need - payment history and public records - are already captured in the other two bureaus, so adding Experian offers little incremental insight.

Because the extra expense rarely changes the decision, small‑scale landlords stick with the cheaper, more readily available sources and leave Experian out of their screening process.

If you have thin credit, prioritize Experian because it incorporates rental‑payment, utility and telecom data that often fill gaps left by traditional credit scores.

Experian's broader alternative‑data pool lets landlords see a more complete picture of your payment habits, increasing your chances of approval when TransUnion or Equifax show little activity. If a property manager still runs all three bureaus, start by requesting an Experian report first; many leasing offices will accept that as the primary screen before pulling the others.

Freeze your credit, then temporarily lift it just long enough for the landlord to run the screening.

Most apartments pull TransUnion, so keeping that bureau's freeze active won't stop the process as long as you grant a short‑term lift.

How to freeze without losing rentals

• Create the freeze on TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian via each bureau's website or phone line. Record the PIN or password each bureau gives you.
• Tell the landlord you have a freeze and ask for the exact time they plan to run the check.
• Activate a temporary lift (often called 'unfreeze for a specified period') using the PIN. Set the lift for 24 - 48 hours and specify the landlord's name if the bureau allows.
• Notify the landlord as soon as the lift is active and provide the confirmation number.
• After the check, re‑freeze instantly or let the automatic expiration re‑activate the freeze.

If you prefer not to lift the freeze, give the landlord a recent credit report you ordered yourself; most screenings accept a self‑generated report that shows the same data.

With the freeze paused only for the screening window, your credit stays protected while the apartment's TransUnion‑heavy check goes through. Next, we'll see why an eviction appears on only one bureau's report.

Eviction often shows up on just one bureau because most landlords file the notice only with the agency they already use, typically TransUnion.

Reporting costs and the fact that many state court systems feed judgments to a single bureau keep the data siloed; Equifax and Experian receive far fewer eviction entries.

Before you apply, pull all three credit reports; if an eviction appears on only one, you can dispute it directly with that bureau or ask the landlord for verification, remembering that many apartments still rely solely on the TransUnion pull mentioned earlier.