Credit bureaus treat soft inquiry as if you have requested them for identity confirmation. As a result tenant screening with a soft inquiry of your credit report is neutral towards your credit score.
Does tenant screening show on credit report?
So, if you are trying to get a mortgage, can't find a suitable rate, and decide to rent instead, the hard pulls from your mortgage applications and tenant applications will all count as a single inquiry. Rental denials do not show up on your credit report.
What type of effect does tenant screening have on a credit score?
When your prospective landlord pulls your credit report, usually to confirm your identity, it generates a soft inquiry. Credit bureaus treat these inquiries as though you are the one who requested them. As such, tenant screening that makes soft pulls on your credit report is neutral toward your credit score.