Typically, landlords look for great tenants; that way, they can limit any serious issue that could arise later. Having a felony record, therefore, puts you in a difficult position considering that you may face challenges accessing several services.
Can You Be Approved For A Rental With A Misdemeanor?
Yes, you can, but you will have to be a bit smart.Legally, you can be allowed to clear your criminal record through record expungement or record sealing.
Some states don’t allow expungement of criminal records at all, or for your case, you’re not eligible in your state. Since expungement, in this case, is not an option, you can, therefore, opt for these options:
Many apartments nowadays have adopted ‘prepaid’ form payments. Apartment properties or landlords can ask you to pay rent of a property that is 3 times your monthly rent.
This option is one that I will advise you to start with first before opting for the other ones. This is simply because if you can’t subject yourself to a background check, then it means you highly likely get an apartment.
Asking for larger security deposits isn’t only a practice most apartment properties or landlords use against felonies alone. This option mainly protects landlords against people with poor credit scores and bad eviction history as well.
This option is ideally the best one since it can help you rent a property, get a job, and many more. And so, if you can find reentry program resources in your state or that are near, you will be better off.
Another option that can help you convince your potential landlord is by providing your rental history. This is an ideal step to do, particularly when you hold an excellent rental history with previous landlords and roommates.