Introduction
Trying to rent an apartment with bad credit is already a difficult task but renting a place with no credit at all might just be even more difficult. But there are options available for you if you are house hunting with no credit history, such as showing your employment history, stable income, or cosigning loans.
There are also emergency loans for rent you can look into if you are struggling with rent and need to reassure your landlord. Landlords run credit checks to figure out how likely you are to pay rent on time every month. Here are 7 things you can look into if you are trying to rent an apartment with no credit.
- Look for no-credit-check apartments
Many landlords do rental credit checks on potential renters to avoid risks but it’s not a mandatory practice. While house hunting, look for apartments that don’t require credit checks. If you have no credit, you will have an easier time getting approved for these places.
- Private landlords
Choosing a private landlord over a large property company might be a smart decision for you. Private landlords offer individual tours of the place where you can openly discuss your financial circumstances. An open and honest conversation could reassure potential landlords that you are trustworthy.
- Guarantor
A guarantor is someone who signs your lease with you, claiming to pay the rent if you fall behind on the payments but won’t have any rights over the property. While looking for guarantors, look for family or close friends who are over 21 and have solid credit scores. You have to pick people whom you trust to have your back.
- Co-sign with roommates
Similar to a guarantor, signing a lease with roommates who have good credit scores and stable income can be helpful. When looking for roommates, credit score is just one of the many factors you should consider. It’s also important to make sure they have stable income and will be able to make payments every month on time. In addition to rent, they will also be responsible for utility and other house-related bills, so finding reliable roommates is key.
- Recommendation letters
If you don’t find any guarantors or cosigners, ask around if anyone could write you a letter of recommendation that you can send with your rental applications. Ideally, this person should know a bit about your finances and should be in a good position to write on your behalf. If you can ask your employer or recent ex-employer to write you a recommendation letter then that would be great. Or if you can ask your previous landlord to vouch for you being a responsible tenant, that would work in your favour too.
- Increased upfront payment
If nothing else works out and you are in a position to, you can offer to pay more than whatever they are charging. This may not be doable for a lot of people but this is an option. If you offer to pay more upfront as the security deposit, landlords will be more likely to be lenient about you not having any credit.
- Proof of income or savings
The reason landlords do credit checks before approving renters is because they want to make sure the renter will be able to afford the rent every month. If you don’t have any credit but can show income proof or that you have enough savings to be able to pay rent on time for a while, then landlords may be more accepting of you.
Conclusion
Figuring out how to rent a place with no credit can be daunting and make you desperate enough to settle for the first apartment you can find. But caution is important while switching apartments. Avoid scammers and schemes that seem too good to be true. By being a little patient and putting in a bit more effort, you can find good apartments that won’t require you to have credit. We hope this helps you understand what options you have if you don’t have credit while apartment hunting.