Credit check for lease by someone that isn’t one the actual lease agreement
Hopefully someone can help me with this. I can’t seem to find a solid answer anywhere else. 

My sister is looking at a new building to lease since their landlord wants to split up their unit into two. 

So they have to do a credit check and I guess their credit situation is not the best. They asked my mom if she would sign for just the credit check but not on the lease. 

Can she even do this and not be on the lease, would this make her liable if my sister did not pay rent, and would it destroy my moms credit?  

This is in Virginia if that makes a difference 
Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask this.
[{"id": "hx09kdl", "text": "If this is regarding a lease for a residential unit, then this is the wrong sub. \n\n\nIf this is a lease for a commercial unit, asking for an additional, credit worthy, party to sign a lease guarantee isn't unusual for a new, struggling business, or business in transition. In the event that the lessee does not perform on the lease, the guarantor is liable for the lease obligation.", "replies": [{"id": "hx17eac", "text": "Yea it\u2019s for a commercial property. Thank you for giving me some insight.", "replies": [{"id": "hx1bk8a", "text": "To clarify though, your mom would be liable if your sister stops paying her lease.", "replies": [{"id": "hx1mwyl", "text": "Alternatively maybe you could propose a larger security deposit or a lease guarantee that burns off after X number of years w/o default. Just a few things that I\u2019ve done for clients with less attractive credit.", "replies": [{"id": "hx28csz", "text": "That\u2019s not a bad idea", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hx1dqjh", "text": "They won\u2019t run your moms credit with out putting her on the lease. She would be a co-signer, it\u2019s like if you where buying a car and had bad credit.", "replies": [{"id": "hx1kx0o", "text": "Thank you!", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hx1its7", "text": "Can she even do this and not be on the lease, would this make her liable if my sister did not pay rent, and would it destroy my moms credit?\n\nShe cannot.  Guarantor signs the lease.  \n\nIf your sister has a good financial situation maybe she can afford a big deposit or something and landlord would be fine.  We rent to Chinese shell companies all the time and they have no credit.", "replies": [{"id": "hx1kw99", "text": "That\u2019s what I thought. Her business does well but they have to keep up with the joneses. Which makes them a credit nightmare. \nThank you!", "replies": [{"id": "hx1xezm", "text": "\"\u2026they have to keep up with the Joneses.\"\n\nMom should absolutely refuse to be the guarantor.", "replies": [{"id": "hx1zjod", "text": "Yea that\u2019s what I told her she\u2019s be crazy. My sister was trying to tell her that she would hold no liability but I assumed that was bs", "replies": [{"id": "hx25hgd", "text": "That is absolute BS.\n\nThat Lie in combination with her bad financial habits are two major red flags.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]