Background check help!!!!

Question

my husband and found a great apartment that we love and they need to do a background check. my husband has a felony from 15 years ago and is working on getting it expunged. it was a drug charge but nothing huge (believe me), and it was a non violent crime. will they do the check just for the state that we currently live in? the felony took place in a different state and he hasn't lived there for 9 years. we are thinking of just taking a chance and not telling them. we usually are up front about it but the last time his job did a check it never even came up on the check that they did. can anyone shed some light on this and give me some good advice?!! basically i want to know if it will show up if we live in a totally different state that the crime happened in.

Answer 1

The regular background checks only do the occupieing state. so if the felony was in calafornia and you currently live in MO. then they will not see it. hope i helped.

Answer 2

Tell the truth.  It would be better they lying about a felony in his past.

Answer 3

Most states do report to the national background check agencies, 35 out of 50 right now.  Apartment complexes are just trying to keep it a nice place to live by requiring the background check, and who can blame them?  They run a credit check and a criminal history that shows what is available.

Why not go in and be honest about it, if you're sincere and everything else checks out you'll be ok anyway.  

Answer 4

ONLY the apartment management can tell you if they will check other states.  ONLY the apartment management can tell you a 15 year old felony will cause you to be turned down.  IF they ask and you lie, you can be evicted AT ANY TIME if they find out.

Answer 5

No it wont come up, because it was in another state. Most companies just do state background checks, in your state. I would not worry, go ahead and apply. He should be fine. Good luck on your apartment search.  

Answer 6

Well, the crime was over 10 years ago and if he has no run-ins with the law after that drug charge, it shouldn't matter. He should ask someone he is dealing with about getting it expunged, if you two should let them know. Usually when people find out this kind of information and you haven't told them they are upset, and it also is illegal to not tell certain people. So ask someone he is dealing with to getting it expunged, they should know.

Answer 7

Tell them.  Until you do get it expunged (something you should work on seriously), it will probably appear because of several laws passed in the last five years or so as part of the Patriot Act which require information sharing.  Also, many localities have laws that restrict ex-felons from residing in certain areas; it would be bad enough to lose an apartment, but worse to be arrested.

My advice is to speak with the manager in person and explain the situation and ask their advice on this.  I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear, but it beats being evicted and having your rent and security deposit taken because the rental agency found out you did not qualify because of a felony arrest.

Answer 8

Well if it were me, I'd tell em up front, cause if you don't and the do a background check and don't matter how far away or how long its been its still on your husband records.. And if you really want to live at this place, then being honest would more than likely be a plus on your behalf.

Answer 9

it really depends on how extensive the check is....some places can do a country-wide check....some just do the state you live in...of course it also depends on what they are looking for...some places don;t look for offenses like drugs.....maybe you should be upfront so that if it does come up they know and don't feel that you lied to them by omission......Good Luck

Answer 10

Background check is nationwide, not just in the state where it happened (can you say NCIC?). A drug conviction does not look good, no matter how long ago it was (and good luck getting it expunged). And if you don't tell them, what will you say when they call you a liar? Because it WILL show up. A CCH is forever. For. Ev. Ar.

Be up front, and take your chances. Maybe they'll cut you some slack.

Answer 11

For one, in order for it to be a felony, it WAS "huge".  

Nevertheless, if they request this information and you do not provide it and for some reason down the road they find out, they can evict, sue you, and possibly make a police report to file charges (I.e if they have something about perjury on the form).

It all depends on how and where they obtain this information.  In the State of Indiana, when we do background checks, we get more than just Indiana.

So, to be on the safe side, be honest!