What Does FABCO Tenant Screening Include and How Does It Help Landlords?

Updated

FABCO tenant screening is a service from FABCO Tenant Screenings & Rental Collections, a company that has operated since 1943 and describes itself as a nationwide resource for landlords and property managers. According to the company's homepage, its screening reports combine rental, credit, and criminal information and are delivered instantly to your computer. That combination is what makes the service useful for leasing decisions: instead of gathering separate reports, a landlord can review one set of results before approving an applicant.

What the screening report covers

FABCO states that its "complete rental, credit, and criminal information" is designed to let you evaluate potential tenants more effectively and simplify the selection process. In practical terms, that means the report is meant to answer three different questions about an applicant:

  • Rental history — how the person has performed as a tenant in the past.
  • Credit information — how the person has handled financial obligations.
  • Criminal records — relevant background information the company includes in its reports.

FABCO frames the purpose directly: its Rental Report is "specifically-designed to protect your investment by exposing renters who have cost landlords thousands in the past." The company's stated logic is that better screening raises tenant quality, which in turn reduces losses from unpaid rent and property damage.

How landlords use it

The homepage describes the workflow in simple terms: reports arrive with "instantaneous results right on your computer," so a landlord or property manager can review them at the point of a leasing decision rather than waiting on a mailed or manually assembled file. FABCO positions this as part of its membership offering, alongside its collections services.

The company also notes two related tools that support the screening process:

Tool What it is for
Three Day Notices A legal form for serving a tenant to begin the eviction process
Action letters Written notification required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) when denying an applicant for housing

The action letters point to an important compliance step: if you deny an applicant based on a screening report, FCRA requires you to notify them in writing. FABCO provides that form as part of its service.

What else FABCO offers landlords

Screening is one half of the business. The other is rental collection, which FABCO says it specializes in exclusively — it describes itself as "one of the only companies who specialize in rental collections." For tenants with outstanding debt, FABCO offers a secure online portal where they can review their account and choose a payment plan. Landlords dealing with unpaid rent can therefore use the same company for both the front end (screening applicants) and the back end (recovering debt).

Who this fits

FABCO's stated audience is landlords and property managers in the multi-family housing industry, and its history — starting as a small rental collection agency in Columbus, Ohio in 1943 — is presented as evidence of experience in that niche. If you manage rentals and want screening and collections handled by one provider, FABCO's model matches that need. If you only need a one-time background check, the membership structure and the collections focus may be more than you require.

To see current report details, membership terms, or to register, the homepage directs visitors to its Member Log In and Register pages.