LeasingDesk Launches Criminal Record Search Logic in Resident Screening

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorIrvine, Calif.–LeasingDesk recently launched advanced criminal record search logic in its resident screening offering. This enhancement increases the accuracy of the returned data, reducing the possibility of false positive matches, and improves an owner’s ability to identify quality residents, according to the company.According to LeasingDesk, the weakened economic landscape reinforces the importance of comprehensive resident screening techniques and data to ensure multifamily owners can identify the most qualified prospective residents. False positive criminal matches, often caused by ambiguous identification data found in electronic records, can hinder an owner’s ability to effectively evaluate a prospective resident. These flawed results may lead to the rejection of a prospect who in reality, is a quality resident with a strong rental payment history. “The proliferation of electronic criminal information with incomplete identifier information has increasingly led to false positive screening results in the multifamily industry,” says David Carner, senior vice president of LeasingDesk. “Our newly integrated criminal enhancement uses more comprehensive search logic to effectively decrease false positives and increase profitability by identifying the best prospects based on the most accurate information available.”LeasingDesk’s search now includes exhaustive analysis to combat the unregulated information in electronic criminal records. Geographic search areas are expanded with follow-me logic that examines criminal records in 47 states, including local and county records as well as sex offender registries. New techniques such as advanced phonetic and name variation recognition and gender matching were employed to present a more factual snapshot of a prospective resident. The new screening model is expected to mitigate risk by eliminating the need for “human review” services, typically offered by other screening organizations. During this process, a company employee reviews each criminal record uncovered during the screening process and tries to remove the obvious false positives matches.Along with criminal data analysis, LeasingDesk also reviews credit information from the three leading credit bureaus, a national eviction database and rental history via a proprietary database of millions of rental payment records.