How to Rent Despite a Bad Credit History
You can rent despite a bad credit history and prove to apartment and housing landlords that you can wisely manage monthly payments. Landlords have their own preferences, and they can decide to approve or deny an applicant with a bad credit history. Because bad credit often signals poor payment habits, renting with bad credit can prove difficult. But you can secure a rental despite bad credit.
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Instructions
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Review your own credit history and score. Know your credit score and forewarn landlords of your past issues. Be honest and explain why you have bad credit (medical bills, divorce, loss of employment). The landlord may factor these reasons into the decision process.
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Prove that you are financially able to make timely rent payments. Consistent and stable income can help you secure a rental with bad credit. Make copies of paycheck stubs and show your tax returns from the past two years.
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Show evidence of a good rental history. Never being evicted from a rental house or apartment, and never paying your rent late can work to your advantage if you have bad credit. Be prepared and gather a few rental references from past landlords.
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Negotiate payments. Credit problems can scare landlords. Be ready to submit a higher deposit or make higher rent payments due to your poor credit record.
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Include another person's name on the rental agreement. Landlords may prefer people with fair or good credit because these individuals are less likely to walk away from the lease early. Show that you are committed to the lease by adding a co-signer or joint tenant (with good credit) to the lease agreement. A person with good credit is not likely to damage their personal score, and they will pay the rent if you can't.
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References
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