Tips on Renting an Apartment with Bad Credit

Bad credit can really put a damper on your living plans, especially when it makes it extremely difficult for you to find an apartment.

There are ways to boost that credit score, like taking out auto title loans and paying them back on time and disputing errors on your record.

That is all well and good, but these things take time.

So, what do you do when you need to move right now?

Find an Apartment that does not Conduct Credit Checks

One of the best ways to get an apartment with bad credit is to find a landlord that does not check credit before accepting a resident.

Private landlords are more likely to do this than property management companies who rely almost entirely on the credit checks to determine residency.

Many landlords look for new residents through Craigslist, so that is a great place to start looking.

Also, make sure to network because sometimes the best way to find a great deal on an apartment is through word of mouth.

I have heard of several people who got their apartments at reasonable prices before it was put up on Craigslist because they moved into a friend’s apartment after they moved out of town.

Since that friend vouched for the new tenants, the landlord gave them a decent monthly rent expectation.

Point out your Good Rental History

A good rental history can really help if you have one.

Many apartment applications ask for the information of your previous landlord in order to verify how good of a tenant you were.

You can still persuade a new landlord to accept you if you explain what event drove your credit score down and prove you have a solid rental history despite that credit.

In the end, the landlord just wants to have the rent paid on time and not have to worry about damages or complaints from the neighbors.

Prove that you can provide this for him or her, and you can have an apartment!

Get a Co-Signer

If you have a friend or family member with good credit and they are willing to co-sign the lease and vouch for you, many landlords will accept this as assurance that you will pay rent on time.

Landlords feel much better renting to someone with bad credit if they have someone willing to put their own
credit on the line on their behalf.

However, if you do go this route, make sure to pay rent on time because relationships can be damaged if you do not!

Pay more Up Front

You also can get around the credit check requirement by paying more up front.

Most landlords require the first month’s rent when you sign the lease, but you can work out a deal to pay several months’ rent ahead of time in order to show you have the money to afford rent.

If you need some extra cash to help you pay more upfront, consider taking out a car title loan.

In fact, you can use a title loan to help get an apartment in more ways than one!