How to Dispute an Eviction on Your Screening Report

If your eviction screening report contains an error — wrong balance status, incorrect disposition, expired records — the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to dispute it. Screening companies must investigate within 30 days and correct verified errors. This guide walks through the process step by step.

Step 1: Get the adverse action notice

If you were just denied for an apartment, the landlord is required by the FCRA to provide an adverse action notice within 30 days. This notice must name the screening company that produced the report leading to the denial. If you didn’t receive one, request it in writing.

The notice will typically include:

• Name of the screening company
• Contact information (mailing address, phone, sometimes web portal)
• Your right to a free copy of the report within 60 days
• Your right to dispute inaccurate information

Common Texas screening companies you might see on the notice: SafeRent (a RealPage product), CoreLogic, LexisNexis, TransUnion SmartMove, RentGrow (Yardi), Yardi ScreeningWorks, AppFolio Tenant Screening, Experian RentBureau.

Step 2: Pull your report

Request a free copy of your report from the screening company named on the notice. You have 60 days from the denial to make this request.

Each screening company has its own request process:

• SafeRent (RealPage): request via SafeRent Solutions consumer portal
• CoreLogic: request via CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions consumer file request
• LexisNexis: LexisNexis Personal Reports portal
• TransUnion SmartMove: TransUnion consumer disclosure request
• Experian RentBureau: Experian consumer disclosure request

You may need to verify your identity with SSN, address history, and date of birth.

Step 3: Review for disputable errors

Read the report carefully. Common eviction-related errors that are disputable:

Balance status errors

• Report shows “unpaid balance” but you paid — dispute with proof of payment
• Report shows “collections” but debt is with the landlord directly — dispute
• Report shows a balance amount higher than actual — dispute

Disposition errors

• Report shows “judgment for plaintiff” but case was dismissed — dispute with court order
• Report shows filing as active but case was nonsuited — dispute
• Report doesn’t note dismissal on a clearly dismissed case — dispute

Identity errors

• Filing belongs to another person with a similar name — dispute
• Filing is on a former address you didn’t live at — dispute

Age / retention errors

• Filing is over 7 years old but still showing — dispute (per 15 U.S.C. § 1681c)

Not disputable: a valid, accurate, recent eviction filing. You can’t dispute the existence of an eviction that actually happened.

Step 4: File the written dispute

Send a written dispute to the screening company. Most accept online, mail, or fax. Always keep a copy of what you send.

Include:

1. Your name, current address, DOB, SSN (last 4 digits)
2. Reference to the specific report (case number if available)
3. Clear identification of what you’re disputing
4. Evidence supporting your dispute:
   • Court order (dismissal, judgment for tenant, satisfaction of judgment)
   • Payment receipts or zero-balance letters
   • Documentation of the correct disposition
5. Explicit request for investigation under the FCRA

Sample opening: “Pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), I am disputing the following information appearing on my [Company Name] report as it relates to me…”

Step 5: Wait for the investigation

Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, screening companies must complete a reasonable reinvestigation within 30 days of receiving your dispute (or 45 days if you add additional information mid-investigation). During that time:

• The screening company contacts the original source (the JP court, the landlord, or LexisNexis) to verify
• You may receive a request for additional documentation
• You should receive written results at the end of the investigation

Step 6: Review the outcome

Three possible outcomes:

Verified inaccurate → corrected. The screening company updates the report. You can request a new copy showing the correction.

Verified accurate → unchanged. The company reports back that the information is confirmed accurate. If you disagree, you can add a 100-word consumer statement to the report explaining your position.

Unable to verify → deleted. If the original source can’t confirm the data (rare but happens), the item may be removed.

For records over 7 years old, “deleted” is the typical outcome — companies rarely try to verify aged records.

What if the company refuses to correct a clear error?

If the screening company refuses to correct a clearly inaccurate item, you have options:

1. Escalate within the company — request supervisor review
2. File a complaint with the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
3. Consult a consumer rights attorney — willful FCRA violations can result in statutory damages plus attorney fees

After the dispute — what changes for you

A successful dispute updates future screening pulls. Landlords who screened you before the correction won’t see the update automatically — they’d need to run the report again. If you’re applying to properties, wait for the corrected report before submitting, and include the corrected report with your application if it strengthens your case.

For the properties that will already approve your file even with an eviction on record, see our home page or PMC eviction policy guide.

This guide is not legal advice. For complex FCRA disputes, consult a consumer rights attorney.