Are you wondering how to get a rental with bad credit? If your bad (or less than perfect) credit will affect your chances of getting a rental?
For example, if you have bad credit or no credit, or you are drowning in debt, you likely have doubts, questions, or concerns about being approved for a rental home.
While it won’t be easy, there are some things you can do to help improve your odds of getting a rental with less than perfect credit.
What Your Landlord Wants to Know Before Renting to You
Your prospective landlord wants to be comforted knowing that you will:
- Keep the home clean and in good shape
- Pay the rent on time. Not a day late, ever.
- And to a slightly lesser degree, not cause any nuisances.
It is essential to know that you wouldn’t likely be approved for the rental if you gave the landlord any doubt about the points above. Also, your credit score would be meaningless.
Related Read: How to Improve Your Credit Score?
So How Can I Get that Rental with Bad or Less than Perfect Credit?
First, come prepared with an arsenal to keep the landlord comforted. For example, you might bring:
- Financial references (From someone at your work, bank, etc. Not a friend/family member). The letter should highlight your bad credit, and why you’re not a risk.
- Letter of employment confirming how much you earn, and how long you have worked there.
- A copy of your credit history (in advance), for example, from credit karma; it’s okay if the credit report is bad or less than perfect here!
- A letter explaining why you have bad credit and why you’d make a suitable tenant for this rental. NO excuses! You see, it’s better to demonstrate that you were once uneducated with money, and now you’re learning and making progress. Ideally, some examples of what you’ve achieved would be helpful.
- Offer a co-signer for the rental if you have one – a co-signer with good credit.
- And as a last, but not least, always attach a single photo of you and the family members (and pets) that will be living in the new rental home. Photos go a long way.
Best of luck to you!
-Rick
