CHICAGO, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- TransUnion today announced the launch of
SmartMove (http://www.MySmartMove.com), an affordable online solution to help
independent rental owners and multi-family operators better evaluate
prospective applicants' rental applications. The solution comes at a time when
new renters may be re-entering the rental market due to a deteriorating
housing market and current homeowners are converting their houses into rental
properties in response to a slumping housing market.
While applicant screening is becoming more widely adopted by independent
rental owners, it is often time consuming and expensive to manually order
credit reports and also conduct background checks, sometimes taking days to
receive this information. In addition, many of these independent owners have
no processes in place to maintain, store or protect this type of information.
TransUnion's SmartMove provides a new level of security for consumers as they
do not have to share their personal information with the landlord -- while
landlords improve efficiencies because of the instant online screening
process.
"An easy-to-use online tool, SmartMove will help rental businesses gauge
an applicant's risk and manage bad debt to ensure high occupancy levels of
their properties," said Mike Mauseth, vice president, Business Strategy and
Development of TransUnion's Rental Screening Solutions. "TransUnion has a
history of providing quality rental screening capabilities and for the first
time, independent owners can have online access to our powerful data and
analytics tools."
SmartMove capabilities include:
-- Instant and reliable leasing recommendations based on the landlord's
criteria and TransUnion's data and analytics;
-- Online instant enrollment that increases efficiency by giving rental
owners prompt access to the service upon receipt of authorization from the
prospective renter;
-- An added layer of protection and privacy for consumers because Social
Security and credit account numbers are not displayed to the landlord; and
-- A way to check renter applications against one of the largest credit,
criminal and eviction databases.
SmartMove also allows the rental owner to determine the threshold of risk
for each property with pre-defined settings. For example, a vacation property
in a gated community might require a low risk value for potential renters,
while an apartment near a university campus might accept applicants at higher
risk levels.
Another key element of SmartMove is the three-step process, which
simplifies the interaction between landlord and renter. First, the landlord
sets up an account and uses the secure SmartMove website to generate an email
to the potential renter with a link to the site to provide consent for the
landlord to access the renter's information. Once consent is given, the
landlord then receives a recommendation from TransUnion based on the
landlord's criteria. SmartMove also allows the landlord to determine which
party pays for the screening service and can order additional information.
Independent rental owners and potential renters may simply visit
http://www.MySmartMove.com to view a demonstration of the site and sign up.
"Having reliable access to the information necessary to make sound rental
decisions is invaluable to anyone managing units in today's competitive
market," said Doug Pope, director of operations at Hotpads.com, a map-based
housing search and listing service that provides a link to the SmartMove
service. "TransUnion's SmartMove is a key asset in helping this growing, but
overlooked segment of the rental market balance risk assessment and privacy
concerns with a quick and accurate screening solution."
About TransUnion
As a global leader in credit and information management, TransUnion
creates advantages for millions of people around the world by gathering,
analyzing and delivering information. For businesses, TransUnion helps improve
efficiency, manage risk, reduce costs and increase revenue by delivering
comprehensive data and advanced analytics and decisioning. For consumers,
TransUnion provides the tools, resources and education to help manage their
credit health and achieve their financial goals. Through these and other
efforts, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies worldwide. Founded
in 1968 and headquartered in Chicago, TransUnion employs more than 3,600
employees in 25 countries on five continents. http://www.transunion.com
.gif)
