I am a Realtor in Florida, and yes, when someone completes an application to rent a property, there is a background check done for three things, 1)Credit score and history 2)Evictions 3)Criminal. If you are completely honest about your situation and the reasons for them, the agent will usually work with you, especially with the bad credit because so many people have bad credit now through no fault of their own (not deliberate). I hope this helps.