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Rent reporting may be a solution if you want to build your credit score but don't qualify for a line of credit. Companies like RentReporters report on-time rent payments to the credit bureau, which can improve your credit score.
RentReporters earned a spot in our round-up of the best rent reporting services for fast rent reporting. However, its plans are costly compared to those of its competitors. Plus, RentReporters excludes rent reporting to Experian. Read on to see if RentReporters can help you build credit.
RentReporters
Insider’s Rating
3.7/5
Fees
$94.95 one-time fee + $9.95 monthly or $94.50 annually
Pros
- Roommates and spouses get a $50 discount on signup fee
- Guaranteed full refund within 7 days of updated credit score
- Reports up to 24 months of rent payments at prior lease
Cons
- Doesn’t report to Experian
- Hefty signup fee
Product Details
- Roommates and spouses get a $50 discount on signup fee
- Guaranteed full refund within 7 days of updated credit score
- Only reports to Equifax and TransUnion
- Offers 24 months of rent history
- Initial sign up fee of $94.95
- Monthly fee of $9.95
RentReporters Overview
Founded in 2015, RentReporters is a fintech company based in Pasadena, California. RentReporters stands out for offering features that boost your credit score immediately.
You can report up to 48 months of your rent by submitting on-time payments from your current and previous landlord. And with its VIP service, you can have up to 24-months of past rent reported in three to five days. These services are convenient if you need a quick boost to your credit score right before applying for an apartment or a loan.
it's worth noting that RentReporters only reports your payments to two out of the three major credit bureaus; it does not report any payments to Experian. This could be problematic if you apply with a lender that uses Experian to check your credit report.
RentReporters is also relatively expensive compared to its competitors with a significant setup fee and relatively high monthly fee. RentReporters offers a discount for roommates and spouses who want to join, but even the discounted price is more expensive than alternative rent reporting services.
RentReporters Features
The following are services offered by RentReporters:
- Ongoing rent reporting — Verifies and reports your rent payments on a monthly basis
- Retroactive rent reporting — Reports past rent payments up to 24 months old at your current rental
- Additional landlord — Reports past payments up to 24 months old at your previous rental
- VIP expedited reporting — Reports 24 months of past rental payments in three to five days
How RentReporters Works
If you're interested in RentReporters, here's how to get started:
- Sign up — Provide your Social Security number, date of birth, address, and landlord's contact information.
- Add your bank account — Connect the bank account that you pay rent on to your RentReporters account. Rent payments from your property management's billing portal and third-party payment services like Venmo or Cash App are acceptable. The company may also verify and report rent payments made by check or cash.
- Rental verification — RentReporters will contact your landlord to verify your tenancy and rental payments. It's worth noting that if your landlord refuses to cooperate, RentReporters won't refund you.
- Rent reporting — After verifying your rental payments, it will be reported to TransUnion and Equifax. Your rent payments will appear on your credit report as an "RR/Residence" trade line.
- Ongoing reporting — As long as your subscription is active, RentReporters will verify and submit your positive rental payments to the credit bureaus.
RentReporters Cost
RentReporters offers monthly and annual memberships with past rental reporting included in its price. You must pay an upfront enrollment fee to subscribe to either plan.
- Monthly plan: $9.95 monthly
- Annual plan: $95.40 annually
- One-time enrollment fee: $94.95
You can upgrade your subscription by adding the following features.
- One-time additional landlord fee: $50
- Roommate or spouse discount: $50 enrollment fee for the additional person
- Expedited reporting: $25 with the monthly plan, included in the annual plan
So you're looking at about $214 when you opt-in to its monthly plan and $190 for its annual plan without add-ons. RentReporters rates for the standard services are costly compared to its competitors.
Fortunately, Rent Reporters offers a seven-day money-back guarantee. If you're not happy with the initial results, you have seven days from the day you receive your credit score update to ask for a refund. Be aware that RentReporters will remove the rent reporting entry from your file once it issues a refund.
RentReporters Customer Reviews and Ratings
RentReporters earned a 2.5 out of five from six reviewers on Trustpilot. It also received an average of 4.38 stars out of five from 121 reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Many users have noted noticeable improvements in their credit scores. They also praised its pain-free set-up process. In contrast, users discuss difficulty getting a refund and instances of inaccurate rent reporting.
RentReporters vs. The Competition
RentReporters is an expensive service compared to its competitors, but it makes up for its cost and its lack of tri-bureau reporting with its extra features. Unfortunately, these also come with additional costs.
RentReporters vs. Boom
Boom Pay is one of the rent reporting companies included in our guide on the best rent reporting services. At $2 monthly with an initial $10 fee, the service is far cheaper than RentReporters, and it reports to all three credit bureaus.
Boom offers up to 24 months of retroactive rent reporting for a one-time $25 fee, a service which RentReporters includes at no additional cost. However, it's additional landlord service costs $50.
Boom's simplicity and its low cost beat RentReporters handily. However, Boom Pay's rent reporting takes at least 10 days to show up on your credit report. If you need a boost to your credit score earlier than that, RentReporters' expedited reporting may be a better option.
Read our Boom review.
RentReporters vs. LevelCredit
LevelCredit is a rent reporting service operated by Self, which also operates the Self credit builder loan. It's basic plan, which offers rent reporting to all three credit bureaus, is completely free of charge — no monthly fees or setup fees. This is already a much better deal than RentReporters, which charges a monthly fee and hefty setup fee for basic rent reporting to just two credit bureaus.
LevelCredit offers a premium subscription for $6.95 that also reports utilities payments, though that information only goes to TransUnion. This premium service is still cheaper than RentReporter's basic plan, which costs $9.95 monthly or $7.95 annually.
Both services offer retroactive rent reporting. RentReporters offers to report the past 24 months at your current lease at no extra cost, while LevelCredit charges a one-time fee of $49.95 for the same service. However, RentReporters also offers to report 24 months of rent payments for your previous address for an additional $50.
All far as price is considered, LevelCredit is a better deal than RentReporters. However, RentReporters' additional landlord option and its VIP option give it a niche advantage if you're looking for a near-instant boost to your credit report.
Read our Self rent reporting review.
Is RentReporters Worth It?
Whether a rent reporting agency is worth it depends on your credit-building needs. RentReporters' drawbacks include its steep price tag and only reporting to two credit bureaus. For many users, those limitations are a dealbreaker. But if you want an immediate score increase, RentReporter's 48-month past reporting may appeal to you.
There are other ways to build your credit file besides rent reporting. For example, you can use a traditional line of credit, a secured credit card, or a credit builder loan.
RentReporters also has the same problems that comes with all rent reporting services, which is that reported rent doesn't affect your FICO 8 credit scores, one of the most popular credit scoring models among lenders.
Frequently Asked Questions — RentReporters
How does RentReporters show up on your credit report?
RentReporters appear as a trade line or credit account entry called "RR/Residence" on your credit report. It'll appear as a monthly revolving trade line set to the amount of rent you pay each month. As long as you pay your rent on time, your trade line balance will be at $0.
How much does RentReporters boost your credit score?
Rent reporters claim that the average credit score increase is 40 points. However, this will vary based on the credit bureau, credit scoring model, and your credit profile. If you're unhappy with the initial results, RentReporters offers a 7-day money-back guarantee.
How do I cancel RentReporters?
You can cancel your RentReporters account anytime via its:
- Customer service line: (626)-737-6100
- Email: cancellations@rentreporters.com with the subject line "Cancel My Account."
- Live Chat: located in the "Contact Us" tab at www.rentreporters.com.
Is RentReporters legitimate?
Yes. RentReporters is Better Business Bureau accredited. BBB accreditation means a company adheres to ethical business behaviors according to BBB standards. RentReporters also received a B rating, meaning the company met 86.99% of the BBB's benchmarks.
How We Reviewed RentReporters
To review RentReporters, we assessed the amount of value provided for its cost. Standout companies report to all three credit bureaus and offer unique credit-building features like retroactive rent reporting, additional landlord rent reporting, and roommate/spouse discounts.
Top rent reporting companies also deliver a money-back guarantee and quality customer service. We relied on online, reputable review sites, customer testimonials, and the company's official statements to gather information.
Alani Asis is a personal finance expert with experience covering insurance, retirement, and credit at both Business Insider and LendingTree. Her work has been published in AARP, CNN Underscored, Forbes, Fortune, PolicyGenius, and U.S. News & World Report.ExperienceAlani is a former insurance fellow on the Personal Finance Insider team. She’s reviewed life insurance and pet insurance companies and has written numerous explainers on travel insurance, credit, debt, and home insurance.She is passionate about demystifying the complexities of insurance and other personal finance topics so that readers have the information they need to make the best money decisions.ExpertiseAlani’s areas of personal finance expertise include:
- Car insurance
- Life insurance
- Home insurance
- Travel insurance
- Pet insurance
- Credit
- Credit cards
- Retirement planning
EducationAlani is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she earned a degree in political science and history.
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