> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rentfax.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Understanding the RentFAX risk score > The RentFAX composite score runs from 100 to 1000 and combines payment history, asset condition, identity verification, and network standing. The RentFAX risk score is a single number — between 100 and 1000 — that summarizes a renter's history across the entire RentFAX network. Rather than relying on a single data point like a credit score, it combines four weighted components that reflect real rental behavior: how reliably a renter pays, how they treat rental assets, whether their identity is verified, and how they stand across all operators who've worked with them. A higher score means lower risk. ## Score tiers Every renter's composite score maps to a risk tier that drives the rental recommendation you see in the dashboard. | Score range | Risk tier | Recommendation | What it means | | ----------- | --------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | ≥ 800 | LOW | APPROVED | Clean record. Proceed with confidence. | | ≥ 600 | MODERATE | CONDITIONAL | Minor history present. Review the summary before proceeding. | | ≥ 400 | HIGH | REVIEW\_REQUIRED | Significant incidents. Manual review strongly recommended. | | \< 400 | CRITICAL | DENIED | Serious or repeated history. Decline or escalate. | The risk tier and recommendation are separate from the eligibility label shown during a renter search. Eligibility uses different thresholds (≥ 750 / ≥ 500 / ≥ 250 / \< 250). Both are displayed on the renter profile — use them together when making a decision. ## Score components The composite score is calculated from four components. Each component is scored on a 0–1000 scale and then weighted to produce the final number. ``` Composite = (payment_history × 0.40) + (asset_condition × 0.30) + (identity_verified × 0.20) + (network_standing × 0.10) ``` **What it measures:** Whether the renter has paid in full across their rental history. The score is calculated as the ratio of fully paid rentals to total rentals, scaled to 1000. A renter who has paid in full every time scores 1000. Outstanding balances pull the score down proportionally. | Label | Score range | | --------- | ----------- | | Excellent | ≥ 800 | | Good | ≥ 600 | | Poor | \< 600 | Payment history carries the most weight because unpaid balances are the most direct indicator of financial risk to your business. **What it measures:** How often the renter has returned rental assets with damage reported. The score is calculated as the ratio of undamaged returns to total rentals, scaled to 1000. A renter with zero damage reports scores 1000. Each damage incident reduces the score proportionally. | Label | Score range | | --------- | ----------- | | Excellent | ≥ 800 | | Good | ≥ 600 | | Poor | \< 600 | This component directly reflects the physical risk of renting to this individual — relevant for vehicles, equipment, and residential properties alike. **What it measures:** Whether the renter's identity has been verified through the RentFAX identity check. A verified renter scores **900**. An unverified renter scores **600**. There is no partial credit — the score depends entirely on verification status. | Label | Score | | ---------- | ----- | | Verified | 900 | | Unverified | 600 | Verification confirms that the person's submitted identity matches records on file. Unverified renters are not necessarily fraudulent, but the lower score reflects the additional uncertainty. **What it measures:** Outstanding unpaid balances across all operators in the RentFAX network. The score starts at 1000 and decreases by 150 for each unpaid rental. It floors at 0. ``` network_standing = max(0, 1000 − (unpaid_rentals × 150)) ``` | Label | Score range | | ------------------------ | ----------- | | Good Standing | ≥ 800 | | Has Outstanding Balances | \< 800 | Network standing provides a cross-operator signal. Even if a renter has a clean record with you, outstanding balances at other operators will lower this component. ## How the score is calculated RentFAX calculates the score dynamically from the renter's incident and report history. The calculation runs every time you request a score via the dashboard or API, so you always see a current value. If a renter has no history at all in the system, their score defaults to **850** — reflecting no negative signals rather than a strong positive record. The score shown on the renter profile summary card is a cached value. The score breakdown view recalculates the composite live from the underlying reports. For the most accurate reading, use the score breakdown view rather than the summary card. ## AI risk explanations Each score comes with an AI-generated summary that explains the key drivers in plain language. You can find this under **Risk Explanation** on the renter's profile. The explanation highlights which components are pulling the score down and why, so you can make a well-informed decision without interpreting raw numbers yourself. ## Related pages How to search for a renter and read their full profile AI signals that run alongside the risk score How logged incidents feed into the score components How renters can challenge records that affect their score