Check Your Rental History Report Before You Rent in a Good Neighborhood

It’s always important to know exactly what’s in your rental history report before you attempt to sign a lease, especially when you are looking to rent in a good neighborhood. The neighborhood you live in makes a difference when it comes to finding the right school for your children and keeping your family safe. Before you start applying for apartments or rental homes, be sure you check your rental history report to make sure your background presents you as a good candidate to live in a good neighborhood.

Landlords in good neighborhoods will do a background check on applicants. They will look for candidates with good credit scores, no missed or late rent payments, a clean criminal history record and no eviction records. Even if you know your rental history will present a glowing picture of you to landlords, you should check it first to make certain it doesn’t contain any errors.

Incorrect information could appear on anyone’s rental history report at any time. It could be because your name is similar to another person, or maybe someone digitally entered your Social Security number incorrectly. If you spot any errors on your rental history report – from incorrect data to missing information – be certain to correct those errors immediately, before you start applying to rent an apartment or private home.

Once you are certain your rental history report shows that you’re a strong rental candidate you can be competitive in pursuing the apartment of your dreams. Meet with the landlord in person; ask questions about the neighborhood and rules that will be stipulated in the lease agreement; and make certain your finances are secured so you can afford an application fee (if requested), the monthly rent, and any security deposits the landlord might require prior to move in.

Your Rental History Report: Buying vs Renting in 2015

As families carefully review and manage their household budgets, a big question that is asked in households across the United States is “Do we buy, or do we rent?” Your rental history report can be a useful tool in making this important decision.

There are a lot of factors that need to be considered for each family to come up with an answer that fits the family’s needs. Factors like:

* Overall cost – With mortgage interest rates still quite low in 2013, financial experts say buying is a better deal than renting in the long run.

* Short-term finances – Some families can’t afford a down payment on a home, and therefore might be better off looking at rental units.

* Anticipated time spent in one location – Families that frequently move probably don’t want to deal with the hassle of constantly putting a home on the market. And with the recent down housing market, it might cost more money in the long run.

* Ability to get a mortgage – There are many factors mortgage lenders will review prior to approving the loan, one of which is a credit score. Lenders will charge a higher interest rate for lower credit scores, which might make the loan unaffordable.

* Passing the background check – Landlords will often purchase a rental history report for applicants to help determine if the applicants have a good history of paying bills and rent on time – or have an eviction record from a previous apartment. Families that have any negative information appearing on their rental history report might not be approved for renting an apartment or home, and because of this, might be better off purchasing a home.

My Rental & Eviction History: Can It Be Repaired?

If you’ve looked at your rental history report and noticed it doesn’t paint a good picture of you – or you have been turned down for a rental unit because the landlord purchased a copy of your report – you may be wondering if you can take action to repair it.

The answer is maybe, but it’s going to take time and energy on your part.

First, are there any errors on the report? You don’t want a report showing that you have an eviction record if that isn’t true. Take action to fix those errors first.

Second, review the other areas of the rental history report that show negative information about you. If you have a bad credit report and credit score, start working to clean up your act. Pay your bills on time, make larger payments on any debts to make them smaller, and don’t open or close any accounts. Repairing your credit report will take time, but it probably will pay off in the end.

If you have a criminal record, you won’t be able to repair this section of the report. What you can do is maintain a clean report from now on. As time passes, this will show landlords that you’ve changed your behaviors and dealt with the consequences as handed down by the court system. Some states will remove criminal acts from background checks after a certain number of years pass.

Finally, also look at your rental payment history section of the report. If it shows that there is a collection agency searching for you to pay off an existing debt to a prior landlord, be sure to clear that up immediately so it appears as closed on your report.

How to Fight an Eviction You Think Is Wrong

If you receive a legal or official notice of eviction, make certain that the notice contains accurate information. It’s important to do some research to confirm that the notice is in accordance with the law in notifying you of your upcoming eviction. This is especially important because you’ll need to know how to fight an eviction you think is wrong.

The reason you want to check that your landlord filed the notice legally – and that the eviction is justified – is because this information appears on your rental history report. In fact, the notice of eviction is listed, as well as the date of eviction, if it follows through. If you do end up evicted and attempt to find a new apartment, you might discover landlords refusing to rent to you because they’ve looked up your rental history report and see that you have an eviction history.

How to know if an eviction is on your record:

Get a copy of your rental history report to check it over for eviction records, as well as other background information like your criminal history and your credit history. If you find any information that is inaccurate, take steps immediately to correct the errors.

Here’s how to fight an eviction you think is wrong:

Take legal action – contact an attorney who specializes in rental agreements. Share with the attorney all information and correspondence you’ve had with your landlord, including a copy of your lease agreement, the notice of eviction, and any supporting evidence you have against the notice of eviction. The attorney will handle notifying the landlord if he thinks your eviction notification is in error, and will also be responsible for filing the case in court if your landlord wants to continue forward with the eviction process.

Bad Rental History ? How You Can Still Rent…

If you need to move, or are facing an eviction, you are probably thinking about the next home you’re going to live in. If it’s going to be a rental home, you might want to review your rental history report to see what kind of information it contains. Even if you have a bad rental history you still can rent.

Of course, an eviction will be a negative mark on your rental history report, which could limit how many landlords may be willing to accept you as a future tenant. So how do you rent with a bad rental history?

1. Make certain the information is correct. If it isn’t, take action immediately to report and correct the information so it helps you to look like a better rental candidate.

2. Seek out apartment complexes where landlords don’t conduct a background check. Note, often these apartment complexes are not the most desirable living locations, or have lower quality accommodations.

3. Tell your side. Share your background information first, before they have a chance to conduct the background check, and provide your story, if you think it will help sway the landlord to accept you as a renter.

4. Keep your record clean. As time passes, your record will be cleared of past negative marks, and you can highlight how long you’ve been keeping a good profile, showing that you should be considered a good rental candidate.

Always review your rental history report before you apply for a new apartment or rental home. Knowing what information is portrayed in the report will help you better negotiate with the landlord and encourage them to rent to you.

Your Rental History Report & Good School Districts

As a parent, you want the best for your children, and that includes a top-notch education. Many families pick homes based on the quality of the school district those homes are located in. And sometimes those homes end up being rental homes, either for the short term or for many years to come. Your rental history report comes in handy when looking for good school districts.

When applying for a good rental home in a quality school district, it’s important to review your rental history report first. The reason is you can see what landlords would see when they conduct a background check for your application. If you’ve led a good life without any previous problems with landlords and don’t have a criminal record, your rental history report should provide the landlord with a glowing recommendation for your application. However, sometimes human errors occur, and even if you have a clean record, an error on your rental history report would say otherwise.

So before you start applying for apartments in the school district you want your children to attend, be sure to review what is in your rental history report, and take immediate action to report and correct any inaccurate information. Once your report is clean and presents you in a good light, then fill out those applications for rental homes in that stellar school district and start planning your next move, just in time for the school year to begin.

It’s Easier to Rent without a Pet – Lose the pet?

Finding a new apartment is a giant undertaking, and you want to have everything lined up and ready to go if the perfect rental unit becomes available within your price range. But before you rush to sign on the dotted line of your lease agreement, it’s good to read the fine print on what the landlord expects from you as a tenant. Pets and rentals sometimes don’t mix.

One area that is of great importance is pet restrictions. Landlords often don’t allow pets, or may charge extra for tenants to keep pets inside the rental unit. If you discover your perfect apartment restricts pets, you have some tough choices ahead of you:

1. Find another perfect apartment. Continue on your search for a place you can afford in a good neighborhood that allows pets.

2. Hide the pet. This would mean you’re breaking lease rules, and if discovered, could result in an eviction. Keep in mind that apartment living is a very small community, and pets often make noises, which very likely could be overheard by neighbors. So even if your landlord doesn’t catch wind of your cat or dog, the neighbors might make a complaint about the barking or meowing noises they overhear. Plus, if you need to walk the dog on a daily basis, eventually somebody will see you.

3. Lose the pet. Give your pet to a family member that can keep it and will give it a good home. As a pet-free home, you can then rent the apartment of your choice without anything restricting you.

It’s a good idea to avoid eviction, because your landlord could put an eviction record on your rental history report. Not only then will you be out of a home, but it could cause you problems when applying for a future rental property. Landlords often review applicant’s rental history reports to help narrow down candidates, and an eviction record will not look good to a potential landlord.

Your Rental History report: Check When Using Multiple Names on a Lease?

Multiple renters in one unit is a great way for a group of friends or family members to afford a home – especially if rent is high in the area you want to live, or if your income isn’t big enough to afford to rent on your own.

Before signing the lease, as a group, you should come to an agreement on a couple of issues:

1. Whose name is on the lease? If you are going to put everyone’s name on the lease, all members of the party should probably check their rental history report first. The landlord will conduct a search of each person’s rental history report when reviewing your application. If he finds a report that has negative information on it, he could refuse to rent to your group. The group should decide if that individual be included in the lease agreement.

2. How rent and utilities will be paid. The landlord and utility companies will only want one payment (in full) each month. Some groups will establish an account where all individuals donate their part of the rent or utility bill into the account so it can be paid. Others will rotate each month who pays the bills. No matter what process your group agrees upon, remember, if the landlord doesn’t get paid, the entire group is responsible, not just one individual. This could result in an eviction of everyone from the apartment, and an eviction record going on everyone’s rental history report.

Be sure to have everyone review their rental history report before applying for the apartment, just to make certain no erroneous information appears in the report. One negative report could affect the entire group’s ability to rent an apartment.

Eviction: The Top 3 Actions to Avoid

Once you’ve signed a lease, you are under a contract for a specified period of time. Consequences of failing to maintain your end of the contract with the landlord could result in fines, negative reports made on your rental history report and eviction.

Eviction is a serious consequence. Not only does it mean you’re out of a home, but it can also appear on your rental history report, which then could discourage future landlords from renting an apartment or home to you. Here are the top three actions that will result in eviction:

1. Not paying rent – Your landlord is running a business. If you don’t pay your rent in full and on time, your landlord is not making the money he budgeted for. He will have a legal process to follow to evict you, usually starting with posting a notice of eviction on your door. If you have concerns that the eviction is not legal, research the eviction regulations in your state and contact a legal advisor.

2. Damage to the property – Minor wear and tear is anticipated during a lease term, but major damage caused by yourself, or any guests, can be cause for eviction. This does not include damage caused by natural forces like storms, fire or broken water pipes. Renters might be able to avoid eviction by working out an agreement with the landlord to fix the damage.

3. Complaints and illegal activities – Many landlords will establish a “three strikes and you’re out” rule. Review your lease agreement to determine if you have such a rule, and what it stipulates. Some landlords will count neighboring tenant complaints as a strike, while others will require a police visit/report. However, if you’re arrested for conducting an illegal activity in your apartment, your landlord could take action to evict you immediately.

Why is an Eviction Record a Big Deal?

Sometimes life presents you with temptations. You get a great new job offer, but it requires moving to a new city. Yet your current lease agreement doesn’t expire for another couple of months. Is it worth sacrificing your rental history report to break a lease, and possibly end up with an eviction record on your record?

A lease agreement is a legally binding contract, and when a set end date is specified for the lease to expire, you as the tenant are responsible until that date for your end of the agreement. If you need to move out early due to job relocation, you are still responsible for paying rent. If you don’t, your landlord could take you to court for payment of rent, and/or evict you, which will show up on your rental history record.

Why is an eviction record such a big deal? Anytime you want to move to a new rental property, there’s a good chance the landlord at that location will conduct a rental history background check, looking at your rental payment history, credit history and criminal background. Landlords conduct this check to find the best candidates for their vacant properties. If you have an eviction record, or missed rental payments on your rental history report, you may not be able to find a landlord willing to rent to you.

If you don’t have any intention of renting again, and are not worried about the potential for a landlord taking you to court for missed rental payments, then you might find the temptation to break a lease is too great to ignore. But if the potential consequences are too severe, consider trying to work an alternative agreement out with your landlord, like subleasing, or helping the landlord find a new quality tenant. This action can help to keep your rental history report clear of negative entries.