// Skip tracing
Skip tracing vs. tenant screening: what's legal
Two different jobs under two different laws. Skip tracing locates a person with non-FCRA data; tenant screening is an FCRA decision. Mixing them is a common violation.
The short answer
Skip tracing and tenant screening are different jobs with different rules. Skip tracing locates a person you have a reason to reach and uses non-FCRA data. Tenant screening decides whether to rent to an applicant and is an FCRA eligibility decision that requires consumer-report data and adverse-action procedure. Using skip-trace data to screen applicants is one of the most common FCRA violations.
Two different jobs
Skip tracing answers where is this person and how do I reach them. Tenant screening answers should I rent to this applicant. The first is a locate; the second is an eligibility decision about a person's housing. They feel adjacent, which is exactly why people get them dangerously confused.
Why the data can't cross over
Non-FCRA skip-trace data is sold for marketing and locating, not for deciding eligibility. Screening an applicant with it skips the accuracy duties, dispute rights, and adverse-action notices the FCRA requires, and it's a frequent basis for FCRA lawsuits against landlords. Applicant screening needs a real consumer report from a credentialed screening service.
What to use for each
To locate a former tenant who owes you, skip tracing is appropriate. To screen a new applicant, use an FCRA-compliant tenant-screening service and follow adverse-action procedure. Different job, different data, different law.
Where Trackyr fits
Trackyr is a locate and list-hygiene tool with non-FCRA data. It is not a tenant-screening service and can't be used to make rental decisions. For screening applicants, use a credentialed consumer-reporting agency.
// Common questions
Answered.
What is the difference between skip tracing and tenant screening?+
Skip tracing locates a person and uses non-FCRA data; tenant screening decides whether to rent to an applicant and is an FCRA eligibility decision needing consumer-report data. They're different jobs under different laws.
Can I use skip tracing for tenant screening?+
No. Screening applicants is an FCRA decision that requires a consumer report and adverse-action procedure. Using non-FCRA skip-trace data to screen tenants is a common and litigated FCRA violation.
// Keep reading
More on skip tracing.
Skip tracing laws in California: licensing, privacy, and DNC rules
Is skip tracing legal in California? Do you need a license? Here's California's PI-licensing status, privacy law, and telemarketing rules, plus the federal rules that always apply.
Read →Skip tracing laws in Texas: licensing, privacy, and DNC rules
Is skip tracing legal in Texas? Do you need a license? Here's Texas's PI-licensing status, privacy law, and telemarketing rules, plus the federal rules that always apply.
Read →Skip tracing laws in Florida: licensing, privacy, and DNC rules
Is skip tracing legal in Florida? Do you need a license? Here's Florida's PI-licensing status, privacy law, and telemarketing rules, plus the federal rules that always apply.
Read →Put this into practice.
Verified creator + B2B contacts, one shared pool, paid only for what you use.
Start hunting →