Tenant screening sits at the intersection of the FCRA and a growing patchwork of state and local fair-housing rules. The screening report is a consumer report, which means the same adverse-action obligations that apply to employers apply to landlords who deny an applicant based on it.
The strongest programs publish their criteria up front: minimum income multiple, acceptable credit range, and how criminal history is weighed. Transparent, written standards applied consistently to every applicant are your best defense against a disparate-impact claim under the Fair Housing Act.
Be especially careful with criminal history. HUD guidance discourages blanket bans on anyone with a record; instead, consider the nature, severity, and recency of an offense relative to the safety of the property. An individualized assessment is far more defensible than an automatic rejection.
Finally, watch local law. Cities and states increasingly cap application fees, require you to accept portable screening reports, or limit how far back you can look at eviction records. Screen the jurisdiction before you screen the tenant.