Passing a rental credit check doesn’t have to be stressful if you prepare in advance. Before applying for a lease, be sure to check your credit report and fix any errors, gather pay stubs or bank statements to verify your income.
Landlords perform credit checks because they want to make sure that a prospective tenant is trustworthy. Some landlords use additional screening tools, like consumer reports, before making rental decisions.
Knowledge is power, so order a copy of your credit report from all three bureaus—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—before you do anything else. Thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers get one free report from each agency every year.
If you notice any errors on your credit report, challenge them right away. You can dispute mistakes at any of the three main credit bureaus online, via email or by phone.
Honesty is often the best policy—especially if you have bad credit. People with poor credit histories rent homes all the time, so you’re unlikely to fall completely flat.
Don’t have much of a credit history?Ask your prospective landlord or letting agency if you can provide your utility payment history or your rental payment record to prove how responsible you are.