Looking for a new apartment can be quite stressful. It may take you a long time to find one that suits your needs, but then you need to apply for it before anyone else does. But just submitting an application form isn’t enough to guarantee that the flat will become yours. You also need to have a few background checks carried out. If these checks don’t give the results that the landlord is looking for, then your application might be declined.
Not sure if you will be able to find a new apartment easily? Here are some things that regularly result in people’s applications getting denied.
A Poor Credit Rating
One of the biggest red flags for landlords is a poor credit rating. You will need to get your credit report and submit this with your application. If your report shows you that have a low score, then you might be denied the apartment. Thankfully, though, there are now a few landlords that offer houses to individuals with poor credit ratings. Alternatively, you could use some of the online guides to help you work on yours and improve it.
A History Of Missed Rent Payments
A prospective landlord will also be interested in knowing how well you have previously paid your rent. If you have a history of regularly missing payments, then this could put you in a bad light. A landlord will be very reluctant to rent out their property to someone who might miss the rent as it could drastically reduce their cash flow and cause them financial issues.
A Criminal Record
Did you know that a criminal record could go against you when it comes to finding a new apartment? If you have had to hire a lawyer after a DUI or go to court for any other criminal offense, then this will go on your personal record. There is no wonder that this kind of record will make a landlord apprehensive. So, try and always stay on the straight and narrow if you want to be accepted for any good apartments in your local area.
Bad Or No Recommendations From Previous Landlords
Most landlords will want to see a letter of recommendation from whoever you previously rented an apartment from. This letter doesn’t have to be too long – in most cases, your old landlord will just write something along the lines that they would recommend you for an apartment or be happy to rent to you again.
Low Income
Any new landlord will also be interested to see your income. If it looks like you might not be able to afford the rent, then they will be extremely reluctant to rent to you. One way to get around this is to only consider new apartments that are well within your budget. One good rule of thumb is that your income needs to be three times as much as the rent. That shows that it should be easy enough for you to afford the monthly rent.
Happy apartment hunting!