Overview
ResidentScore is a TransUnion credit-based score built specifically to predict rental payment performance — not loan repayment, which is what a standard credit score measures. It applies a rental-focused model to an applicant’s credit data and returns a score on a stated range of 350 to 850, where higher means lower risk.
TL;DR: because a general credit score and ResidentScore optimize for different outcomes, the same applicant can land differently on each. ResidentScore is included in every SmartScreen tenant screening package.
Why a Rental-Specific Score Exists
A traditional credit score was engineered to answer one question: how likely is this person to repay a loan? That’s useful, but it is not the same question a landlord is asking, which is: how likely is this person to pay rent on time and complete the lease?
Those outcomes are related but not identical. ResidentScore exists to answer the landlord’s question directly. It interprets the same credit data through a model built and validated against real rental outcomes, so the result speaks to rental risk rather than lending risk.
ResidentScore vs. Credit Score
Standard Credit Score
- Built to predict loan repayment.
- Validated against lending outcomes.
- Common stated range: 300–850.
- Best suited for lenders and credit products.
ResidentScore
- Built to predict rental payment and lease completion.
- Validated against real rental outcomes.
- Stated range: 350–850, where higher means lower risk.
- Best suited for landlords screening tenants.
The key consequence: an applicant can have a healthy general credit score and a weaker ResidentScore, or vice versa, because the two models weight behavior differently.
For how scoring fits into the broader screen, see the complete tenant screening guide.
How ResidentScore Works
ResidentScore analyzes an applicant’s credit-report data, but applies a formula focused on the behaviors most predictive of rental outcomes rather than loan performance. The model is built on real rental-outcome data, which is what lets it translate credit history into a rental-relevant risk signal.
With SmartScreen, the score arrives alongside the full credit detail, so you see not just the number but the context behind it: how recent any late payments are, how much was overdue, and which accounts are involved.
Using ResidentScore Well
- Set a consistent written threshold and apply it to every applicant the same way.
- Read the score with its context because the credit detail behind a score matters as much as the number itself.
- Do not rely on any single score. Pair ResidentScore with eviction history, income, and rental references.
- Note jurisdictional limits because certain score-based recommendation features may be restricted in some areas, including Washington, D.C.
One signal, not the whole screen: ResidentScore tells you about rental-payment risk from credit behavior, but it will not surface an eviction that ended without a judgment or verify income.
Pair it with the full credit report, eviction search, and income review for a complete view.
Screen with a rental-calibrated score.
ResidentScore is included in every SmartScreen package, alongside credit, criminal, eviction, and income checks — so you assess rental risk with a score built for the job.
Start Screening with SmartScreen
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ResidentScore?
ResidentScore is a TransUnion credit-based score built specifically to predict rental payment performance rather than loan repayment. It analyzes credit-report data through a rental-focused model and produces a score on a stated range of 350 to 850, where higher means lower risk.
How is ResidentScore different from a credit score?
A standard credit score is designed to predict loan repayment. ResidentScore is built to predict rental outcomes specifically, weighting credit behaviors most relevant to paying rent and completing a lease.
Is ResidentScore better than a credit score for tenant screening?
For predicting rental payment specifically, a rental-calibrated score like ResidentScore is more relevant than a general-purpose credit score. That said, no single score is a complete screen.
What is a good ResidentScore?
ResidentScore uses a stated range of 350 to 850, with higher scores indicating lower risk. Landlords should set a consistent written threshold and read the score alongside credit detail, eviction history, and income.
About This Page
Prepared by the SmartScreen Advisory Team. SmartScreen is operated by ClearScreening, an FCRA-certified consumer reporting agency with 22 years of tenant screening experience. ResidentScore is a TransUnion score.
Reviewed by: SmartScreen Fair Housing & Compliance Team, ClearScreening — FCRA-Certified Consumer Reporting Agency.
Related Resources
This page provides general information about ResidentScore and does not constitute legal or financial advice. ResidentScore is a TransUnion product; score ranges and availability of score-based recommendation features vary and may be restricted in some jurisdictions, including Washington, D.C. Landlords must obtain applicant consent before screening, apply score thresholds and screening criteria consistently, and follow FCRA adverse-action requirements when a report contributes to a denial.
Start screening with a rental-specific score.
Use ResidentScore with credit, eviction, criminal, and income checks in one workflow.