Experian RentBureau to receive rental payment history data from Riverstone Residential Group

COSTA MESA, Calif., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Experian® RentBureau®, the leading provider of rental payment history data to the multifamily industry, today announces the agreement of Riverstone Residential Group to contribute its residents' payment data to Experian RentBureau. With the collaboration, Riverstone Residential Group becomes the largest fee-management apartment firm to furnish rental payment history to Experian RentBureau, enabling faster debt collection, enhancing protection from lease skips, and encouraging residents living in Riverstone Residential Group rental communities to pay rent in a timely and comprehensive manner.     

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Riverstone Residential and receive valuable rental payment history data from the company's Riverstone-owned and fee-managed communities across the country," said Brannan Johnston, vice president and managing director for Experian RentBureau. "By furnishing resident rental payment history data to Experian RentBureau, Riverstone Residential will immediately enhance the effectiveness of its rental collections while decreasing bad debt levels and encouraging proactive rental payment practices among its residents, leading directly to increases in net operating income (NOI) and the bottom line."

"We have witnessed the impact of rental payment history from day one, and being able to furnish that data as a credit item — whether it is above or below the line — is the key to creating a better rental prospect for everyone," said Mark Stringer, senior vice president of Riverstone Screening Services and Riverstone Receivables. "I believe this type of risk management helps not only Riverstone, but all companies, and as a data furnisher we expect to play a lead role in creating a rental payment history data set that not only assists with tracking skips on behalf of owners, but over time ultimately helps the resident to improve their payment practices."

Based in Dallas, Texas, Riverstone Residential is one of the largest apartment fee-managers in the United States, approaching 170,000 multifamily apartment units under management.  Furnishing data to Experian RentBureau will augment the firm's internal collections department, greatly reducing the likelihood of resident skips while improving collections and lessening the need for listing outstanding bad debt with third-party collections agencies while encouraging more efficient, prompt and complete rent payments from residents.

Since beginning the collaboration with Experian RentBureau three months ago, Riverstone Residential has already received more than 400 "hits" of rental applicants attempting to move in to a community while still owing a rental payment debt elsewhere. Without access to rental payment data, residents and community managers alike can typically wait six to eight months for negative rental history to appear on a credit report as the result of traditional collection efforts.

"Now that our rental payments are being reported, residents can find out more quickly if there is outstanding debt that will negatively impact their efforts to get credit or lease an apartment," Stringer said. "It makes it easier for both us and the resident to identify what the problem is and have it corrected."

Experian RentBureau is part of Experian, the leading global information services company and the first and only major credit reporting agency to include rental payment data in its credit reports.  

About Experian RentBureau

Experian RentBureau is a subsidiary of Experian, the leading global information services company. RentBureau was acquired by Experian in 2010 and is now the leading provider of rental payment history data, with information on more than 9 million residents. Currently, more than 3,000 apartment communities contribute data every 24 hours to Experian RentBureau. Its data is utilized by property managers through their existing resident screening companies and is now incorporated into Experian credit reports. For more information, please visit www.experian.com/rentbureau.

About Riverstone Residential Group

Riverstone Residential Group, one of the largest third-party multifamily apartment management companies in the United States, is focused exclusively on the delivery of unparalleled property management as well as resident and ancillary services. Riverstone's core service groups include accounting, affordable housing, compliance and property audits, information technology, risk management, human resources, marketing and education, purchasing, and regional maintenance. Ancillary service groups include utility management services, resident screening and receivables management services, client and resident insurance, telecom services, and financial advisory services. The company manages a portfolio of multifamily assets valued at more than $17 billion for leading institutions, pension funds, developers and other major owners. Located in metropolitan markets across the nation, Riverstone's more than 700 communities and 170,000 apartment homes under management include high-rise, mid-rise, and garden-style communities in conventional, affordable and receivership assets. The company is headquartered in Dallas, TX. For additional information, visit www.RiverstoneRes.com or e-mail [email protected].

About Experian

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2012 was US$4.5 billion. Experian employs approximately 17,000 people in 44 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Experian