If tenancy is denied because of information contained in a report, certain procedures must be followed by the decision maker. The complete Federal Credit Reporting Act, along with landlord's responsibilities, consumer credit information, explanations, and all the necessary forms and documents used in tenant screening can be found in either the Forms Web or the RHOL Credit Web. A tenant should carefully read every document they are asked to sign, particularly rental agreements. If there are any doubts or uncertainty, a real estate attorney or housing professional should be consulted. Remember, a lease is a contract under which someone will occupy someone else's property.
Contracts are legally enforceable.
Many states regulate what can and can't be in agreements to rent residential properties. In fact, some states make their landlord-tenant law a default part of any such agreement. It is important that every party to the contract review our pages on the subject. They can be found in our Landlord's Web and in the new Tenant's Web now under development. If you want additional information on the importance of a written rental agreement, read the RHOL page on Lease FAQ's , then find several examples of rental agreements in the Forms Web .