Consumer complaint received 2024-07-16
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Other personal consumer report
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing issue — Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC. (OH)

On XXXX XXXX, I paid {$55.00} to submit an application for XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, GA, to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I was notified on XX/XX/2024, through a 3rd party company, XXXX, that my application had been rejected, and to inquire with the property manager, XXXX XXXX, as to why it was rejected. When speaking to XXXX XXXX, she stated that my " XXXX XXXX '' was not " lower than the XXXX required '' and that my rental references were not of their liking. When I informed her that the credit score given was not correct, she advised me to contact XXXX. 
When I contacted Avail to dispute the information they gave, I was told that the " XXXX XXXX '' was pulled from Transunion and I would have to contact them dispute the information they provided. 
When I contacted TransUnion the first time, I was told that the credit score XXXX supplied was inaccurate and the credit score I had given was. I was advised to contact Avail back and let them know that the credit score they had for me was incorrect, per TransUnion. 
It was during my 2nd call to XXXX, I was informed that the score given to the potential landlord was not my credit score, but my rental score. When I asked why both my credit score and my rental score were so far off, i was again advised to contact TransUnion. When i asked the XXXX agent why they were informing both I and the landlord that the score they gave was my credit score, I was told " landlords dont have to use our reports to rent to you. We are just a tool ''. I informed the agent that the landlord did, indeed, use their report to reject my application, citing the " credit score '' XXXX gave. After going back and forth with the agent, practically in circles, I was told, once again, to contact TransUnion as XXXX has no one that i could dispute to and were not going to change my " credit score ''. 
I then contacted TransUnion again, who gave me another number to contact someone in their " rental screening '' department. It was there that i learned that the model used by TransUnion 's rental screening is the same model used for credit scoring, with 2 deviations. XXXX where a credit scoring model does not count even inquiry against you while you are trying to obtain credit, such as for a car loan or a mortgage, the rental screening counts EVERY inquiry against you, stating that the more inquiries you have, the least likely you are to pay your rent on time. XXXX TransUnion 's rental screening considers you a risk if you have no rental history. The only way a tenant would have rental history is if the landlord REPORTS the rental history. I have never had a landlord report as I have lived in states where it is not a requirement. My current landlord does, but with an additional rent fee. 3- my rental scoring counts negative reporting that was listed on my credit report prior to a bankruptcy ive had discharged. They do not count the bankruptcy, but the actual accounts. There was no explanation given by TransUnion as to why my rental score varies so much from my credit score. 
After finding out how TransUnion 's scoring model was calculated, i requested to file a complaint. I was given the number for TransUnion 's dispute department. As i did not know what i was disputing, as my credit report sent to me was correct, I did not know how to dispute the rental screening score. I was advised by the disputes department, after their admitting there is no such thing as a " rental score '', to attach a copy of my actual credit report from here on out, when applying for housing.