My Apartment Background Check Showed a False Murder Charge. Can I Get Compensated?
In many cases, yes, you may be entitled to compensation, especially if the false report caused a housing denial, delay, higher deposit, or embarrassment. These usually happen because the tenant screening company mixed your file with someone else’s (often a same-name match or database error), and that can violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Why this happens (even though it sounds impossible)
Tenant screening companies pull records from court systems and third-party databases, then match them to applicants using identifiers like name, date of birth, and address history. If their matching is sloppy or a data source is wrong, a severe charge can be attached to the wrong person. This is often called a mixed file or misidentification.
When you can be compensated
You may have a strong FCRA claim if:
You were denied the apartment, put on hold, or asked for a higher deposit/co-signer.
The screening company reported someone else’s criminal case under your name.
The report was misleading (e.g., missing identifiers or missing the real disposition).
You disputed it, and they failed to fix it or took an unreasonable amount of time.
You suffered measurable harm (housing loss, extra fees, moving costs, stress/embarrassment).
With severe false allegations, damages can be significant because the harm is obvious and immediate.
What to do right now (most important actions)
Get the exact report the landlord used (the full tenant screening report, not just a summary).
Ask the landlord for the “adverse action” notice or denial reason - save screenshots/emails.
Collect proof of identity (ID + SSN trace page if provided) and note why the charge can’t be yours (wrong DOB, wrong county/state, different middle name, etc.).
Dispute in writing with the tenant screening company and attach your documents. Be clear: “This murder charge does not belong to me and is a misidentification.”
Keep a timeline of what happened and what it cost you (application fees, hotel costs, storage, higher rent elsewhere, etc.).
How we can help
If a tenant screening company falsely reported a murder charge on your housing background check, we can help get it corrected quickly and pursue compensation for the denial and harm caused. Mixed-file cases involving serious accusations are often strong FCRA claims.