How to Get a Landlord to Overlook Bad Credit

You've found a wonderful apartment you want to rent, but you are concerned that the prospective landlord will turn you down due to your bad credit rating. Unless you can convince the landlord that your credit rating is not a good reflection of who you are, you will have to get a less desirable apartment. You don't have to give up and start your home search over. Here are some tips you can use to get your landlord to overlook your bad credit.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Inform your prospective landlord of your credit issues before they find them out for themselves. Tell them why certain problems are on your credit report. If you have a copy of your credit report you can go ahead and give it to them along with a written explanation. Of course, your explanations must be for good reasons such as illness, divorce or job loss.

2. Have a good reference from your previous landlord. If your past landlord has good things to say about you such as that you paid your rent on time and took good care of the apartment, the new landlord will be more likely to overlook bad credit.

3. Show a good job history. If you can show a full year or more of steady employment, preferably at one place, your landlord will overlook bad credit. People with steady employment tend to be responsible and pay their rent on time.

4. Get a co-signer. If your credit history is bad and you want a good apartment, you may need to enlist the help of Mom and Dad, or another close relative who will put their necks on the line and take responsibility for your lease. This means that if you fail to pay your rent or if you damage the unit, they will be responsible.

5. Show that you can afford it. People get into financial trouble by trying to rent a more expensive home than they can afford. If you can prove your income is four times the rent or more, your landlord may overlook your bad credit rating.