Sample Screening Report
Overall score
Summarizes all available information. When using results of this assessment, we recommend focusing mostly on a person's overall score.
Personality-based evidence should always be combined with evidence from other sources (e.g., interviews, reference checks, credit checks) before making a final acceptance decision.
Making payments
Likelihood of paying rent without hassles. People who score above average are likely to have fewer late or missed payments than people who score below average.
Ability to pay
Disposition to behave in ways that allow a person to afford rent, such as retaining a steady job, living within means, or doing financial planning. People who score above average are more likely to be able to consistently pay rent and utilities compared to people who score below average.
Note that personality characteristics are one of many factors in whether a person will be able to pay rent. Other considerations include current debt load or employment status. Those should be investigated with other screening tools (e.g., credit checks, employment checks). Only personality characteristics are measured by this assessment.
Makes paying a priority
Desire to maintain good standing on rent and other payments, even when doing so requires personal sacrifice. People who score above average are more motivated to avoid owing money for unpaid rent compared to people who score below average. They are also less likely to make excuses for late or missed payments.
Punctuality with payments
Likelihood of paying on time without constant reminders from the landlord/manager. People who score above average are likely to require fewer collection efforts from the landlord/manager than people who score below average. They are also likely to have fewer bounced checks compared to people who score below average.
Avoiding damage
Likelihood of living in the unit without causing damage. People who score above average are less likely to generate damage-related costs than are people who score below average.
Respect for property
Likely level of respect toward rental properties. Compared to people who score below average, people who score above average are more likely to:
- Be careful to avoid causing damage
- Perform required duties (e.g., watering and mowing the lawn)
Report problems that require attention
Likelihood of promptly reporting damage before it escalates. People who are above average are more likely to report damage in a timely fashion than people who are below average.
Responsible care of pets & children
Likely level of responsibility when caring for dependents, such as pets or children. People who score above average are likely to have fewer tenant issues as pet owners or parents/guardians than people who score below average. Common issues include:
- Letting pets or children cause damage
- Letting pets or children cause excessive noise
- Leaving pets or children unattended
- Letting pets defecate inside the unit
- Neglecting to clean litter boxes
- Leaving dog feces outside without picking them up
Taking responsibility for damages
Likelihood of admitting to damages and agreeing to pay for or fix them. People who score above average are more likely to admit being responsible for damages they caused than are people who score below average.
Judgment
Degree to which a person recognizes when their actions can cause damage. People who score above average are more likely to have the good sense necessary to avoid causing accidental damage compared to people who score below average. Judgment includes:
- What items can and cannot be flushed down the toilet
- How to avoid damaging walls
- When self-done repairs will make things worse
Neighborliness
Likelihood of being a good neighbor. People who score above average are more likely to get along with neighbors and less likely to bother neighbors compared to people who score below average.
Agreeableness
Likely level of politeness, helpfulness, and cooperation when interacting with neighbors. People who score higher than average are likely to be more personable with neighbors than are people who score below average.
Conscientious about bothering others
Extent to which a person is likely to care about bothering neighbors. People who score above average are more likely than people who score below average to avoid annoying behaviors, such as:
- Playing music, TV, or instruments at an inconsiderate volume
- Making noise at inconsiderate times of day
- Cooking smelly foods
- Holding parties that disturb neighbors
- Inconsiderate use of shared laundry facilities
Interacting with landlord/manager
Likelihood of maintaining a healthy professional relationship with the landlord/manager. People who score above average are likely to have more positive interactions and fewer negative interactions with the landlord/manager compared to people who score below average.
Honesty
Likelihood of being truthful and fair-minded. People who score above average are likely to display greater integrity than people who score below average.
Keeping expectations reasonable
Likelihood of setting modest expectations as opposed to acting entitled. Problems from unreasonable expectations are more likely to arise from people who score below average than from people who score above average. Common problems may include:
- Complaining about trivial issues
- Expecting leniency on rent
- Expecting upgrades to the dwelling
Friendliness
Likelihood of being pleasant and welcoming when interacting with the landlord/manager. People who score above average are likely to be more receptive and less abrasive toward the landlord/manager than are people who score below average.
Cooperation
Likelihood of being helpful when cooperation is required, such as during repairs, viewings, and attempts to contact the tenant. People who score above average are likely to be more responsive and flexible than people who score below average.
Temper control
Inclination to stay calm rather than say things in anger. Angry outbursts toward the landlord/manager are more likely to occur from people who score below average compared to those who score above average.
Housekeeping
Likely degree of organization around the home. People who score above average are likely to do a better job managing routine household tasks than someone who scores below average.
Cleanliness
Likelihood of keeping surroundings clean, including living spaces, yards, balconies, and common areas. People who score above average are likely to keep surroundings more tidy than people who score below average.
Garbage treatment
Likelihood of treating garbage appropriately. People who score above average are likely to have fewer garbage-related problems than people who score below average. Common problems may include:
- Disposing of garbage at the wrong time/place
- Littering
- Stockpiling garbage
Risk for hoarding
Risk for severe cluttering of the person's home, to the point that it is no longer able to function as a viable living space.
Because people at risk for hoarding respond very differently from the average applicant, hoarding results are displayed differently from the other scales. People are either classified as "low risk" or "enhanced risk".
People at enhanced risk have a modest chance of developing problems with hoarding at some point in their lives. By comparison, people at low risk are very unlikely to ever develop problems.
Avoiding illicit activities
Likelihood of living in a unit without engaging in secretive or illegal behaviors. People who score above average are more likely to respect the need to obtain permission and less likely to break laws or abuse substances than people who score below average.
Respecting the need for permission
Likelihood of respecting the need to obtain the landlord/manager's permission before engaging in restricted activities. Activities may include:
- Keeping pets
- Smoking outside of permitted areas
- Parking outside of permitted areas
- Inviting additional occupants to live in the unit
- Starting repairs/modifications
People who score above average are less likely to engage in restricted activities without permission compared to people who score below average.
Aversion to theft & fraud
Distaste for activities involving personal gain at the expense of others. Offences are more likely to arise from people who score below average than from those who score above average. Common offences include:
- Stealing from the building or neighbors
- Lying for profit
- Lying to harm others
- Living in a unit without ever intending to pay rent
Note that few people who score below average will ultimately decide to steal or commit fraud as a tenant (e.g., 1 in 5 people).
Numbers given in the above paragraph are for illustrative purposes only.
Avoiding substance abuse
Degree to which the person's personality protects against developing alcohol and drug problems. People who score below average are at greater risk for:
- Developing substance abuse problems at some point in their lives
- Selling drugs
Note that few people who score below average will ultimately develop substance abuse problems as a tenant (e.g., 1 in 5 people).
Numbers given in the above paragraph are for illustrative purposes only.
Making the unit a home
Likelihood of behaving in ways more common in home-owners than in people who rent. People who score above average are likely to do more homeowner-like activities than people who score below average.
Going above and beyond
Likelihood of exerting extra efforts that are not required by the lease but that promote a positive living environment. People who score above average are more likely to do extras than people who score below average. Extras include behaviors such as:
- Making improvements to the inside or outside of the unit
- Doing more than required maintenance
- Getting involved in the local community
- Picking up trash left by others
Conscientious use of utilities
Likelihood of conserving utilities. People who score above average are more likely to take care when using utilities than are people who are below average. Reasons may include a sense of responsibility for the environment, a desire to be economical, or guilt over abusing landlord-paid utilities.
Avoiding rapid turnover
Inclined to live in one place rather than frequently change residences. All else being equal, people who score above average are less likely to move out shortly after moving in compared to people who score below average.
Note that personality inclination is only one of many components in how long a person chooses to live in a unit. Even people with strong inclinations against rapid turnover will likely vacate if they need to move for work, school, or other life changes.
Vacating
Likelihood of moving out without causing hassles. People who score above average are more likely to have a smooth moving-out experience compared to people who score below average.
Giving proper notice
Likelihood of giving appropriate notice of intention to vacate. Insufficient notice is more likely to occur from people who score below average compared to those who score above average. Issues may include:
- Giving less than required notice
- Vanishing without notice
State of unit upon vacating
Likelihood of leaving the unit appropriately clean when moving out. People who score above average are likely to leave the unit cleaner than people who score below average. Includes:
- Removing furniture and belongings
- Cleaning dirt/grime from living spaces
Willingness to vacate
Likelihood of vacating without resistance if the person is ever evicted. People who score above average are more likely to leave without resisting compared to people who score below average.
Note that few people who score below average will ultimately refuse to vacate if evicted (e.g., 1 in 5 people).
Numbers given in the above paragraph are for illustrative purposes only.
Revenge aversion
Degree to which a person finds revenge repulsive as opposed to acceptable. When people are evicted, revenge behaviors are more likely to occur from those who score below average compared to people who score above average.
Note that few people who score below average will ultimately decide to take revenge if evicted (e.g., 1 in 5 people).
Numbers given in the above paragraph are for illustrative purposes only.
Candidness of responses
Candidness reflects how a person performed on our lie detector scale. The scale detects the degree to which a candidate attempted to distort responses to present himself/herself as a desirable tenant.
You can have more confidence in responses from people who score high vs. low on candidness. All else being equal, candid applicants should be preferred over less candid ones.
Note that trying to present oneself as a desirable tenant is not necessarily a bad thing. Candidates should not be rejected for doing so. Low candidness simply means that added caution is warranted before taking what a person says at face value.
How to Interpret Scores
- Bars compare people with applicants applying to similar units. The longer the bar, the more favorably the person compares to other applicants.
- Green bars = Low risk. Orange bars = Moderate risk. Red bars = Greater risk for problems than the average applicant.
- Scores represent inclinations based on a person's characteristics. More often than not, these inclinations will reflect how a person behaves as a tenant, but there will be exceptions. Even people at low risk can cause problems, just as people at high risk may never cause problems.