SafeRent Denied Your Rental Application? Here’s What You Can Do

You found the right apartment. You filled out the application, paid the fee, and waited. Then the rejection came. The landlord said it was because of your SafeRent Solutions report. But the information in that report doesn’t match your actual history.

If SafeRent Solutions denied your rental application based on inaccurate data, you’re not stuck. Federal law gives you the right to fight back.

What SafeRent Solutions Is and How Landlords Use It

SafeRent Solutions is a tenant screening company that landlords and property managers use to evaluate rental applicants.

Here’s how it works:

• The company pulls data from credit bureaus, court records, eviction databases, and other sources.
• It runs that data through a scoring algorithm to generate a risk assessment for each applicant.
• That score tells the landlord whether you’re a “low risk,” “moderate risk,” or “high risk” tenant.
• If your score falls below the landlord’s threshold, your application gets denied.

The problem? SafeRent’s reports can contain errors. And when they do, you lose the apartment.

Common Errors in SafeRent Reports

SafeRent pulls information from multiple databases, and mistakes can happen at any point in that process.

Some of the most common errors include:

• Criminal records that don’t belong to you. If someone with a similar name has a criminal history, SafeRent’s automated system can attach those records to your file.
• Outdated eviction records. An eviction filing that was dismissed or resolved years ago still showing on your report as if it’s active.
• Wrong credit information. Debts or delinquencies from someone else’s credit file mixed into yours.
• Expunged or sealed records appearing on your report. Records that courts have ordered removed from public view still being reported by SafeRent.
• Incorrect personal information. Wrong addresses, dates of birth, or Social Security number variations causing data from another person to land on your report.

Because SafeRent scrapes data from so many sources, the margin for error is wide.

A single mismatched data point can pull in an entire file that has nothing to do with you.

Your Rights Under the FCRA When SafeRent Denies You

SafeRent Solutions is a consumer reporting agency (CRA) under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). That means it has to follow the same accuracy and dispute rules as credit bureaus.

Here’s what the law requires:

• Adverse action notice. If a landlord denies your application based on your SafeRent report, they must give you a written notice that includes:

• the name and contact information of SafeRent Solutions
• a statement that SafeRent didn’t make the decision
• notice of your right to get a free copy of the report and dispute it.

• Free copy of your report. You’re entitled to a free copy of your SafeRent report within 60 days of being denied. You can also request one free report every 12 months.
• Right to dispute errors. You can dispute inaccurate information directly with SafeRent, and they must investigate within 30 days.
• Accuracy requirements. The FCRA requires SafeRent to use reasonable procedures to ensure the information in your report is as accurate as possible.

The CFPB has published detailed guidance on what tenants should do when a screening report leads to a denial.

How to Dispute a SafeRent Report

If your SafeRent report contains errors, take these steps right away.

1. Request your SafeRent report.

Contact SafeRent Solutions directly and request a copy of your consumer file. If you were recently denied, you’re entitled to a free copy.

Review every section: criminal history, eviction records, credit data, and personal identifiers.

2. Identify every error.

Make a list of each piece of information that’s wrong. Note whether it belongs to someone else, is outdated, was expunged, or is otherwise inaccurate.

3. Gather your documentation.

Collect proof that supports your dispute. This might include court records showing dismissed evictions, expungement orders, proof of identity, or credit reports from other sources that don’t contain the errors.

4. File a formal dispute with SafeRent.

Submit your dispute in writing. Send it by certified mail so you have proof of delivery.

Be specific about what’s wrong and include copies of your documentation. SafeRent has 30 days to investigate and respond.

5. File a complaint with the CFPB.

If SafeRent doesn’t resolve the issue, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The CFPB tracks complaints against tenant screening companies and forwards them for response.

6. Contact the landlord or property manager.

Let them know you’re disputing the report. Provide copies of your documentation.

Some landlords will reconsider once they see that the report contains errors.

What If SafeRent Solutions Denies You and Won’t Fix the Report?

Sometimes, SafeRent investigates your dispute and comes back claiming the information is accurate. Or they don’t respond at all within the 30-day window.

When that happens, you may have grounds for legal action under the FCRA.

You can pursue a claim if:

• SafeRent reported inaccurate information, and their procedures for ensuring accuracy were unreasonable
• They failed to properly investigate your dispute
• They didn’t respond within the required timeframe
• Their errors caused you to lose housing or pay higher deposits

Successful FCRA claims against tenant screening companies can result in actual damages (like lost housing costs, temporary lodging expenses, and application fees), statutory damages, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.

The Real Cost of a SafeRent Denial

Losing an apartment because of a screening error doesn’t just mean you didn’t get that one unit.

The consequences ripple out:

• You may be forced into temporary housing or staying in a situation you were trying to leave.
• Application fees add up when you keep getting denied based on the same bad data.
• You might settle for housing that’s more expensive or in a less safe area because you can’t get approved where you want to live.
• The stress of housing instability affects your work, your family, and your well-being.

SafeRent’s errors don’t just affect a data point on a screen. They affect real lives.

Talk to an Attorney About Your SafeRent Denial

At Ware Law Firm, we represent Mississippi residents who’ve been harmed by inaccurate tenant screening reports, including SafeRent Solutions reports.

We understand how these errors disrupt your ability to find stable housing, and we know how to push back when screening companies fail to correct their mistakes.

If SafeRent denied your rental application based on wrong information, you have options. Contact us today.