Propertyware Knowledge Base

Q.     What is Propertyware™ Screening Powered by LeasingDesk™?

A.        Propertyware Screening Powered by LeasingDesk is a fully integrated, end-to-end screening solution that allows you to screen individual prospects or entire households right from with your Propertyware application. Propertyware screening can be easily configured to automatically render a decision based on your applicant approval criteria, or just provide you information for you to make your own decisions.

             Automated decisioning helps your company utilize a consistent, objective approval process, yet still keeps you in complete control. Whether entering an application in your office, or evaluating an application submitted from your Propertyware Site, you have access to a powerful screening and decisioning solution.

             Powered by LeasingDesk, one of the industry’s largest and most respected risk management services organizations, Propertyware screening is easy to use, cuts down on repetitive data entry, and makes all screening information available right with the Prospect or Lease record.

Propertyware’s tenant screening offers you the ability to run screening options that include:

·         Identity Verification

·         Credit history

·         Criminal records checks

·         Eviction record checks

·         Rent to Income calculations

You can use Propertyware Screening to screen applicants of course, but you can also run background checks at lease renewal time to verify a resident still meets your criteria. Keep in mind Federal regulations require you to obtain (and maintain) express documented consent from applicants or residents prior to obtaining consumer reports.

Q.       How do I get started with Propertyware Screening Powered by LeasingDesk?

A.        Activating Screening is easy!

1.       Contact your sales rep to sign-up.

2.       Provide documentation such as Registration of Organization with your State, Business License or State registration of business.

3.       Provide copies of three actual completed rental applications.

4.       Participate in a Site Inspection (required if accessing full credit reports).

5.       Receive activation code from client support.

6.       If applicable, set-up your screening decisioning criteria for your company, portfolios or properties.

7.       Screen applicants!

Q.       How much does Propertyware Screening cost?

A.       Pricing depends on whether you want to include credit reports, criminal reports and eviction record searches and whether you need Basic or Advanced Screening. Pricing for Basic Screening starts as low as $4.95. Prices for Identity Verification, Credit, Criminal and Eviction screening vary.  A one-time setup fee is required to activate a screening account.  Advanced screening is recommended in some geographic areas where the local courts do not make criminal records available to screening company databases. Ask your Propertyware account representative for details.

   Q.       Who pays for Propertyware Screening?

A.        The charge for the applicant screening is billed to you.  This gives you the flexibility to mark up your fee for this service. 

  Q.       When do I get charged?

A.       You will be charged at the end of the month for all screens run during that month. A detailed breakdown of your transactions will be available in the Billing section of Propertyware.

  Q.       How do I get charged?

A.       By default, screening fees are charged to the same credit card, or direct debited from the same bank account, being used for your Propertyware subscription.  You can elect to use a different credit card (or account) for all screening.

  Q.       I want to use a different credit card.  How can I do this?

A.       Click on Setup.  Under Administration Setup click on Tenant Screening, and then click on the Edit Settings button.  Select Use different card and enter in your billing information.  Click Save when done.

Note:  You must be a user with administrator rights to change this information.

  Q.       I want to use the same credit card (or bank account) I use for my Propertyware subscription.  How can I do this?

A.        Click on Setup.  Under Administration Setup click on Tenant Screening, and then click on the Edit Settings button.  Select Use my subscription billing information and click Save.

Note:  You must be a user with administrator rights to change this information.

  Q.       How do I start the screening process?

A.       A prospect record must exist in Propertyware, and there must be enough information entered for each adult contact associated with that prospect record.  This can be a prospect entered by you or an application entered from your Propertyware Site (if enabled). The prospect record can be for an individual or a household.

Select a prospect from the list of prospects in the Marketing tab.  You may then use the drop down menu in the Action column in the All Applicants list view.  Select the Screen Household option when you are ready to submit the request.  You may also do this from the Screening Information Box inside of the prospect record on the right-hand side of the screen.

  Q.       We have prospects who apply online using our Propertyware Site.  Can we use Propertyware Screening to screen these applicants?

A.       Yes.  A prospect record is automatically created with an application attached whenever an applicant completes the online application form.  If you are also subscribed to Propertyware’s ePayments , applicants can pay the application fee online by credit card.*  The Screen Household option exists on prospect records that have an attached application.  Select the Screen Household option when you are ready to submit the request. 

   Q.       We have not subscribed to ePayments but we do have a Propertyware Site.  Can we still use Propertyware Screening to screen applicants who apply online using our Propertyware Site?

A.          Absolutely!  However, since you do not have ePayments enabled you must collect any application fees directly from your applicants.  A message will appear in the Screening Status window letting you know if the application fee has not been paid.  

  Q.       What happens when select the Screen Household option? 

A.          The applicant(s) info will be submitted to the Propertyware Screening service. Since Propertyware Screening includes a unique Identity Verification service, you may be asked to verify an applicant’s information before screening continues. If you don’t get an immediate result, you will want to check back occasionally to see if the screening has been completed. You can use the Check for Change in Status option from the Action Menu on the prospect page to check for updated results. When the background screen is completed, the result will be displayed in the Screening Results window on the prospect’s page. Simply click View Detail Report to see the detailed results.

Q.         Is there somewhere I can go to see all of my applicants’ screening results?

A.          There are two views inside of Marketing that will allow you to see screening information for multiple prospects.  The All Applicants view allows you to see all prospects, whether they have been screened or not.  The Applicants Screened view allows you to see just prospects that have been screened and have a screening result.

  Q.         How long should the screening process take?

A.          Some screens may be completed very quickly, others may take some time depending on the applicant’s history and the screening service you have signed up for (Advanced Screening takes longer…sometimes a couple of days…since additional criminal record searches are provided).

Q.       Where do I see the results?

A.          When the background screen is completed, the result will be displayed in the Screening Results window on the prospect’s page. Simply click View Detail Report to see the detailed results.  They can also be seen in the new All Applicants and Applicants Screened views in the Marketing module.

  Q.       Some time has passed since I clicked the Screen Household option but I still do not see the screening results, what should I do?    

A.          You can use the Check for Change in Status option from the Action Menu on the prospect page to check for updated results.  You can also use the Check for Change in Screening Status link under Related Activities to check for a change in status for multiple prospects at the same time.  If significant time has passed, contact support. 

  Q.       When would I use the Resend Screening Request option?

A.       Only use this feature if a background screen has been completed on the prospect, but material information about an individual has changed or another Contact has been added to the household. If you add a contact to a household and Resend Screening Request, only the new contact will be screened (and a fee generated) if it has been less than thirty days since the household was last screened. If the last screen was more than thirty days ago, the entire household will be rescreened and you will be charged for screening all household members.

Q.        Who do I contact if I’m having difficulty operating screening in Propertyware?

A.         Our customer support team is available to answer any questions Monday thru Friday from 8AM to 8PM ET. Please submit a case using our form with a description of the incident you have experienced. Be sure to select ‘Screening’ as the area of Propertyware you need help with. Should you need immediate assistance, you may also contact us at 415-455-2400 with your case number once you have submitted the case.

Q.        Who do I contact if I have a question about the results obtained in a background report, or if I want to adjust the approval criteria settings?

A.         Email our screening support team at screening@realpage.com or call 800.708.2172 between the hours of 10AM to 6PM ET.