How to Rent a Home if You Have Bad Credit

Renting a home with bad credit isn't impossible, but depending on the landlord, getting the rental may require good negotiating skills. A bad credit history can indicate problems with paying your bills on time, so a landlord may hesitate to approve your application.

Instructions

1. Negotiate the deposit and monthly rent price. If you're turned down for a rental because of your credit history, propose paying a higher rent and increase your security deposit to compensate for a poor personal rating.

2. Give the landlord copies of rental references. Alleviate a possible rejection by asking former landlords to provide a rental reference on your behalf to show that you never missed or skipped a payment.

3. Add a cosigner to your lease agreement to get approved. If you can't qualify for the rental based on your own credit history, ask someone with an excellent credit history to cosign the contract. This person must pay the rent if you default.

4. Explain bad credit history. If bad credit results from situations such as job loss or illness, provide landlords with a detailed explanation. Landlords may sympathize or understand your circumstances and approve the rental application.

References

• Bankrate; Your Credit History and Your Rent; Brigitte Yuille; October 2007