Tenant screening is the process by which landlords, or lessors, determine whether or not a tenant is a good choice for lease. Landlords that choose to rent out their property take on a significant risk, both legally and financially. As a result, tenant screening is essential, as having trustworthy tenants makes renting worth the risk. Tenant screening can be done professionally by a screening company, or some landlords may choose to handle it in-house. The tenant screening procedure will probably consist of a rental application form, credit report, background check, and a check of employment. The information found from this process will help determine if the potential tenant is financially qualified and worth the risk. However, information such as race, age, gender, or religion cannot be used as a basis for choosing tenants, and landlords who do so can be charged with discrimination. In general, tenant screening takes a maximum of a week to deliver results.