How To Rent An Apartment If You Have An Eviction On Your Rental History

eviction rental history

How To Rent An Apartment If You Have An Eviction On Your Rental History


In this community resource guide, I will show you how to rent an apartment if you have an eviction on your rental history.

If you were recently evicted, this will make it more difficult to find housing. Many landlords will not rent to you if you have an eviction on your record. That being said, it’s not impossible to find a landlord who is willing to rent to you. You will, however, need to be strategic with your housing search if you were evicted recently.

Continue reading to learn 4 strategies you can use to find housing if you have a recent eviction.

What Is An Eviction?

An eviction is a legal process in which a landlord removes a tenant from their property. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as not paying rent, violating the lease agreement, or damaging the property.

How Does An Eviction Impact Your Credit?

An eviction can impact your credit score in a few ways. First, an eviction can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. This will make it more difficult to get approved for a new lease, rental application, mortgage, or public housing.

Additionally, if you have an eviction on your record, you may be charged a higher security deposit or be denied access to housing altogether. While it’s not impossible to find housing with an eviction on your record, it will likely be more difficult than if you had no eviction at all. If you are having trouble finding housing because of your eviction, this article will provide you with ways that you can overcome this barrier to finding affordable housing.

Landlords May Be Hesitant To Rent To You If You Have An Eviction

Landlords may be hesitant to rent to you because they’re worried that you won’t be able to pay your rent on time due to an eviction being on your record. Because of this, you will need to think of ways that show you are capable of paying rent on time every month. If you can accomplish this, you will have a better chance of being approved at a new apartment.

How Long Does An Eviction Stay On Your Rental History?

An eviction will stay on your rental history for about seven years. However, some landlords may be more willing to overlook an eviction if you have a good explanation for it.

4 Ways To Rent An Apartment If You Have An Eviction On Your Rental History

Renting an apartment if you have a poor rental history is difficult, but not impossible. Try some of the tips in this section to improve your chances of finding affordable housing fast.

1.) Work With 2nd Chance Apartment Locators To Rent An Apartment If You Have An Eviction

Consider working with a company that specializes in finding apartments for people with evictions. These are typically referred to as 2nd chance apartment locators.

These companies have longstanding relations with landlords who are willing to rent to tenants with evictions. A second chance apartment locator knows exactly which apartments rent to individuals with evictions, broken leases, bankruptcy, or criminal records. Calling a 2nd chance apartment locator will also save you lots of time and frustration because they are experts at placing tenants with poor rental histories in apartments.

To find a 2nd chance apartment locator near you, just Google search the following:

“2nd chance apartment locators in [your city here]”

If you are in Houston, we already have a list of 2nd chance apartment locators here that can help you.

2.) Find Private Landlords To Rent From If You Have An Eviction

Private landlords are more likely to rent to you if you have an eviction on your rental history. With these properties, you are likely speaking to the owner so it’s easier to work out arrangments and explain away any evictions on your rental history. Also, private landlords often have more flexible screening criteria than traditional apartment complexes and may be more likely to rent to tenants with evictions on their records.

Compare this to trying to work with an apartment complex that may be owned a large faceless corporation and you can see why it would easier to get housing with a private landlord.

3.) Offer A Larger Deposit To Your Landlord To Show You Are A Trustworthy Tenant

Nothing shows you are serious like money.

If you have an eviction on your rental history, you are essentially looking for a landlord to go out of their way and take a chance on you.

If you are trying to rent an apartment with a history of evictions on your rental record, it is important for landlords to see that you really want their property. Offering more money in advance can show them this and make the process run much smoother for everyone involved. They won’t have to worry about getting stiffed by tenants who don’t pay rent or leave without giving notice late into the leasing term.

Plus, offering larger deposits will put renters at top priority when they meet potential new landlords looking out for available properties during open house walk-thru.

This is not an option for everyone, but if you have money saved up and need housing badly, consider offering a larger deposit to the landlord.

4.) A Cosigner Can Help You Rent An Apartment If You Have An Eviction On Your Rental History

A cosigner is someone who agrees to be responsible for the rent if you are not able to make payments. If you have an eviction on your record, a cosigner can help you rent an apartment by vouching for your creditworthiness and rental history.

This can help a landlord to feel more comfortable renting to you.

Cosigning is a huge responsibility, so make sure that whoever you ask to cosign is comfortable with taking on that role. They should also understand that they will be held liable if you do not pay your rent.

Conclusion

Renting an apartment with a history of evictions on your rental record can be challenging. It is important to remember that no landlord wants to take the chance and rent you their property without asking for some kind of assurance that they will get paid.

If you have had a tough time finding eviction-friendly apartments, then consider working with a 2nd chance apartment locator. If there are no such businesses in your city, you can also consider contacting private landlords or offering a larger deposit.

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