What Does Tenant Screening Look Like with Premier Property Management?
Applying for a rental can be a frustrating experience for tenants. It sometimes feels like handing over your financial life and hoping for the best. Most applicants don’t know what’s being reviewed or when, or what could cause their application to be denied.
That’s why we’re direct about it at Premier Property Management. We apply the same screening standards to all applicants, and we’d rather you know those standards upfront rather than leave you having to guess.
Here’s what our process involves, what you’ll need to provide, and what happens after you apply, so you can prepare properly.
Before You Apply
Delays in the application process are often caused by missing paperwork instead of anything on the applicant’s record. So it’s always a good idea to get together all the items you need in advance to keep things moving along.
This includes proof of income, details of your previous landlords, contact information for your employer, and government-issued photo ID. Applications are generally needed for every adult who will live in the unit, not just the person whose name will be on the lease.
Income Verification
This is the part we receive the most questions about, but it’s very straightforward. All we’re doing here is confirming that the rent you’ll pay fits within your monthly budget.
How you’re paid will determine the type of documentation you need:
- If you’re employed – You’ll usually need to provide recent pay stubs with a W-2 or a signed offer letter for a position you’re starting.
- If you’re self-employed – Independent contractors can usually provide tax returns, 1099 forms, or a few months of bank statements.
Retirement income, Social Security, disability benefits, and child support are all documented through benefit statements or award letters.
Maryland law prohibits landlords from discriminating against applicants or tenants based on income source. This means any kind of rental assistance, like Housing Choice Vouchers, counts as income. If you use these, you’ll still be screened by the same standards as other applicants.
How We Review Credit
As part of our property management service, we carry out a credit report. But this is more than just a single number. When we carry out the report, we’re looking at your payment history, outstanding balances that you owe to previous landlords or utility companies, and whether your recent accounts are current.
Rental History Verification
For your rental history, we simply find out about your previous rental experiences by contacting previous landlords. They can then confirm the basics, including the dates you lived in the property, whether you paid rent on time, whether lease violation notices were issued, and the unit’s condition when you moved out.
If you know there is something problematic in your rental history, always tell us during the application instead of waiting for us to find it. The context always matters, and it’s far more credible to provide an explanation upfront.
Criminal Background Checks
This is an important part of the process, but it has changed significantly in recent months. From October 1, 2026, the Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act puts a limit on how and when landlords can consider a tenant’s criminal history.
The law applies to landlords who manage five or more units, and this includes Premier Property Management, and it means we cannot request or review most criminal history information before we extend a conditional offer.
You are evaluated on income, credit, and rental history. Only after we make the conditional offer can we consider your criminal history, and only within certain categories. Before the conditional offer can be withdrawn based on criminal history, we have to carry out an individualized assessment instead of issuing an automatic denial.
You are given the opportunity to provide evidence of your rehabilitation, to correct records that are inaccurate, or to explain the circumstances. And if the offer is withdrawn, you will receive a written notice that explains the decision.
In short, a record does not stop your application before anyone has looked at your other qualifications as a tenant.
After You Apply
After you have completed the application, we will verify your income, employment, credit history, and rental history. We’ll also contact your references. If you meet our criteria, you’ll receive a conditional offer, and then we will carry out any remaining screening steps.
After this, we collect the security deposit, prepare the lease, and schedule your move-in walkthrough, where the documented condition report is provided.
Ask Any Questions You Have
We screen every applicant against the same criteria, and this consistency is what makes the process fair. If you are unsure whether you qualify, ask us. We’d rather provide you with a direct answer than have you miss out on a home you could have qualified for.
Take a look at our properties, contact our team, and talk through your situation before making an application. We’re here to help.
