New identity checks for leasing

CLEAR and Snappt are pushing a new identity check for apartment leasing that adds biometric verification to rental applications. (ir.clearme.com) The companies said on April 13, 2026 that Snappt had integrated CLEAR1 into its Applicant Trust Platform, which already checks financial qualifications for multifamily housing applicants. CLEAR said returning users can verify with a selfie, while new users typically complete a one-time setup in under 90 seconds. (ir.clearme.com) The pitch is straightforward: prove the renter is a real person, then compare that identity with income, bank, payroll, and rental-history checks in the same workflow. Snappt says its platform combines document fraud detection, connected payroll and banking data, rental payment history, and identity verification for property managers. (snappt.com) This is aimed at a leasing market where fake pay stubs and synthetic identities have become a routine problem. CLEAR and Snappt said more than 93% of multifamily owners and managers report experiencing fraud, and Snappt’s 2024 fraud report found 6.4% of rental applications it analyzed in 2024 were fraudulent. (ir.clearme.com) (multifamilyexecutive.com) The companies say earlier identity checks can stop losses before a bad application reaches a leasing agent’s desk. In the first six months of the partnership, CLEAR said the system helped Snappt identify more than 5,400 fraudulent applications and prevent more than $10 million in potential bad debt. (ir.clearme.com) The technology works by comparing several kinds of evidence instead of relying on one document. CLEAR says it uses biometrics, identity documents, device signals, and verified data sources, while Snappt says its identity product runs more than 30 checks on an identification card. (identity.clearme.com) (snappt.com) The tradeoff is operational, not just technical. CLEAR and Snappt describe the process as renter-friendly, but every extra check creates exceptions, failed matches, and edge cases that leasing teams have to resolve before an application can move forward. (ir.clearme.com) (identity.clearme.com) Snappt says applicants can complete the identity step remotely during an online application or on site by scanning a QR code at a property. The companies said they plan to expand the integration across markets and move identity verification earlier in the screening process. (identity.clearme.com) (prnewswire.com) For landlords, the bet is that catching fraud sooner costs less than chasing unpaid rent, delinquencies, and evictions later. For renters and leasing staff, the real test will be whether those checks stay fast when an application does not pass on the first try. (identity.clearme.com)