Rent Reporting, powered by Buildium

Rent Reporting, powered by Buildium helps build residents’ credit profiles1 by automatically reporting monthly rent payment activity to Experian®, Equifax®, and TransUnion® 2 3, potentially helping to increase credit history and credit score.

FAQs

What is Rent Reporting, powered by Buildium?

It’s an optional, fee-based service that you can easily sign up and pay for through Buildium Resident Center. Each month, Rent Reporting will automatically report your rent payment activity to the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax®, Experian®, and TransUnion®) to help you generate credit worthiness activity.

Why would I want or need Rent Reporting?

Your credit is important to your immediate and future needs and you should be rewarded for all the on-time payments you make. You may not know that not all your credit worthy payments and interactions are reported to credit bureaus. Payments you make for items such as your mobile phone, utilities, and rent, are not reported. That means you’re not getting credit for your positive financial habits.

With Rent Reporting, powered by Buildium, you can ensure your rent payments and rent payment history are directly reported to the credit bureaus.

Which credit bureaus do you report rent payment history to?

We report rent payment history to all three major credit bureaus: Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion®.

How do I sign up for Rent Reporting?

Follow these steps to sign up for Rent Reporting:

  1. First, sign into your Resident Center account. In the top right corner of the screen, click your name to open the drop-down and select My account.
  2. In the My account menu, select Rent Reporting and then click Sign Up.
  3. Follow the prompts and input your payment information.
  4. Once you submit your payment information, you will receive an email confirmation from Rent Reporting to let you know that you’re all set!
What is the payment and subscription option to report rental history data?

Monthly: At $4.99/month, we will begin reporting rent payments on a month-to-month basis, starting with the month in which you sign up. Note: Only your future rent payment history will be reported, not past rent payments.

Can more than one resident per unit report their lease payment?

Yes! Each individual on the lease can choose to have their rent reported—though each individual who would like to have their rent reported will need their own Rent Reporting subscription. It’s worth noting that all individuals on a lease are responsible for the total rent obligation.

Can you report past rent payments or rental history on previous leases?

Not at this time. Only future rent payments will be reported, not past rent payments. The reporting of rent payments will initially be available only for current and future leases, not for previous leases.

What defines an “on-time” or a “past due” payment?

For the purposes of credit reporting, rent payments are considered on-time as long as they are made within 30 days of the due date stated in your lease. However, it’s important to note that this may differ from any sort of policy in your lease with regard to late fees or other penalties, and you will still be subject to these policies as stated in your lease terms.

What happens at the end of my lease?

Currently, your Rent Reporting subscription is tied to your current lease.

If you selected the monthly package, Rent Reporting will automatically continue if you renew with the same lease.

Your Rent Reporting subscription will not renew if:

  • A new lease is drafted
  • You have selected the Lease Term package

In those cases, if you’d like to continue reporting your rent payments using Rent Reporting, you’ll want to sign up again at the start of your new lease term.

How do I cancel my subscription?

In the My account menu, select Rent Reporting and under Subscription details, select Cancel subscription. Once you cancel your subscription, you cannot re-subscribe to the same subscription. Select, Yes, cancel.  

Please note that some areas may prohibit you from signing up for rent reporting again within a specified time frame if you cancel in the middle of a lease.

Can I get a refund for rent reporting if I cancel?

Refunds are not available for previously reported rental history records or for Lease Term subscriptions. If you’re on a Monthly Subscription and either cancel or end your lease early, you will not be billed for subsequent months.

How long does it take to report rent payments to the credit bureau?

Depending on the credit bureau, the response time might vary. However, once submitted, if the bureau chooses to incorporate it, rent payment history may be reflected on a credit report in as little as 30 days.

How do I dispute a rent payment inaccuracy shown on my credit report?

If you notice that something about your reported rent payments doesn’t look accurate to you, you’ll want to file a formal dispute with the credit bureau which reported the inaccuracy.

  • Equifax
      • Online: file a dispute
      • Phone: (800) 685-1111
      • Mail: P.O. Box 105873
        Atlanta, GA 30374
  • Experian
      • Online: file a dispute
      • Phone: (888) 397-3742
      • Mail: P.O. Box 2103
      • Allen, TX 75013
  • TransUnion
    • Online: file a dispute
    • Phone: (800) 916-8800
    • Mail: P.O. Box 390
    • Springfield, PA 19064

If you need additional help with what to do next, you can contact Rent Reporting support at rentreporting@residentcenter.buildium.com.

I have another question about Rent Reporting that isn’t answered here

If you haven’t been able to find the answer to your question, you can contact Rent Reporting support at rentreporting@residentcenter.buildium.com.

1 Alternative Data Such as Rent Payment Reporting Bridges the Gap for Unscorable Consumers and Increases Financial Inclusion Opportunities. TransUnion (2021). See also https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/06/26/credit-score-your-rent-can-boost-your-fico-score-instantly/1556743001/ 

2 This is subject to change without prior notice, but residents’ monthly rental payments will be reported to at least one of the three major bureaus during their subscription to Rent Reporting, powered by Buildium. 

3 Please note, Buildium is not a credit bureau and does not have direct influence over any aspect of credit bureau consumer profiles or credit scores calculated by the bureaus. Each bureau to which we report your rental payment information will determine, in its sole discretion, whether and how to use that information.