Have you ever been evicted in the past? This is one of the most embarrassing and humiliating experiences you would wish to undergo. In most cases, someone is usually evicted in case he or she has many rent arrears that are yet to be paid. Also, if you violate any of the lease agreements, the landlord can evict you. Evictions are not only humiliating but costly as you may have to look for another house or apartment immediately so that life can continue.
After all, you may have kids who need to go to school and so forth. You also need shelter so that you can remain safe with your valuables. Getting an apartment after evictions can be a daunting task. In this article, we shall take a closer look at how one can get an apartment with evictions and other related facets.
Reasons Why You May Face Eviction
Before we look at how one can get an apartment with evictions, it is imperative that we take a closer look at the various reasons why one may be evicted. Some of these reasons include:
- Failure to pay the rent as agreed or paying rent late too often
- Presence of too many complaints against you from other tenants
- Failure to follow particular terms as indicated in the rental agreement
- Performing illegal activities within the apartment or house
- Damaging the landlord’s property beyond the normal wear and tear
- In scenarios where the landlord wants to take the apartment or flat off the rental market.
Those are some of the reasons why you may be evicted. Regardless of the reason why you got evicted, your rental history may be adversely affected. Therefore, you may face numerous challenges in finding your next apartment. Since there is nothing much you can do, it is advisable that you embrace the situation and move forward. After all, life must continue.
Do Evictions Affect Your Credit
Not really. However, if your landlord sends your missed rental payments to a collection agency, your credit history may be adversely affected. For your credit score to rise again, you may have to repay all the dues that you owe the landlord.
In most cases, evictions usually hinder people from renting again as the new landlord will check the rental history, and if it is tainted, the landlord may be hesitant to allow you to rent his or her apartment. Remember that the details about your eviction will feature in the rental history.
However, there are some second chance apartments one can rent when one has been evicted. The owners of such apartments are quite lenient and may allow you to rent their property once you have cleared a number of rent arrears you owed your previous landlord in the past.
Essential Tips On How To Get An Apartment With Evictions
When looking for an apartment to rent with a prior eviction, there are a number of things that you should undertake. Although the process may not be easy, the following tips can help you get started:
1. Be honest
If you have been evicted in the past, it is essential that you be honest about what happened. As we speak, there are many reasons why you may be evicted. For instance, if you encountered a job loss and you were unable to pay your rent, as usual, you should go ahead and let him know that on the go.
Other reasons could be a divorce and so forth. If the landlord cares, he or she will listen to you. In fact, he may be kind to you and allow you to rent his or her apartment, as long as you will be able to pay the monthly rent as agreed.
2. Pay off debts
Once you got evicted, your credit might have been hurt. Since some landlords usually pay attention to the credit score of their potential tenants, it is essential that you start rebuilding it immediately. One way to rebuild your bad credit score is by paying off the debts that you owe the previous landlord.
You can even check your current credit score and see how you rank and take appropriate actions before it is too late. Although this may take time, you will increase your success rates of getting an apartment after eviction.
3. Make a good first impression
Although you may have been evicted in the past, it does not mean that you look unpresentable as you look for your next apartment. Remember that the first impression matters a lot. Just like going to an interview, you should ensure that you dress decently. If you are to meet the landlord or agent, ensure that you do so in good time.
Besides this, ensure that you carry all the relevant financial documents and those that relate to your rental history. Finally, be polite as you talk to the landlord or agent. By doing this, you will increase your chances of getting an apartment even if you had been evicted in the past.
4. Be willing to pay a higher rent
If you used to pay $200 as your rent in your previous apartment, you should be ready to pay $250 or even more in case you have been evicted. Some landlords are willing to accept your tenancy application as long as you comply with such directives.
Here, you may have to pay a higher deposit than you would actually pay if you were just any other potential tenant. However, you can be sure that you will get the deposit back at the end of the tenancy period. For optimal results, you should save more in advance so that you can have this money ready if needed.
5. Get more references
Getting more referees will help establish your character as your potential landlord. The good news is that there are many people who can be your referees. From your former landlord to your roommate, there are many people who can emphasize your financial stability.
You can even let them write a reference letter to show that, indeed, you are a genuine and reliable tenant. If you can submit your rental application alongside these letters, be sure that you stand a high chance of getting an apartment with evictions.
6. Lookout for eviction approved apartments
Nowadays, we have eviction-approved apartments. However, most apartment locators do not allow people to search for these apartments. Despite this, you can use a location service to find these apartments that are within your locality.
You can even expand your search and look for apartments in your neighborhood and compare the different options you will see. Better still, you can ask for recommendations from your friends and relatives. They are likely to give you an option or two that may work well for you.
7. Find a guarantor or cosigner
If you have been evicted in the past, you can go ahead and look for a guarantor or co-signer on an apartment lease agreement so that you can increase your chances of getting approved. However, your co-signer of choice should be financially stable. This means that the person in question can help you in case you are unable to pay your rent in time.
8. Try to get your record expunged
You can write to your previous landlord and ask him or her to consider removing the eviction from your credit report. If you were a genuine tenant in the past, he might be willing to remove the eviction for you.
However, you have to pay any outstanding arrears in full. Once you agree on these terms, ensure that everything is put on paper. This document will show that you actually paid all the debts and that you are now ready to rent a new apartment.
9. Be positive
You are not the first person or the last person to be evicted. Such incidences are very common nowadays. Whether you lost your job or you were unruly in your previous apartment, be sure that your next landlord will understand your situation.
Be optimistic as you search for a new apartment to rent, and you will surely get one. Once you get one that suits your needs, explain your situation to the landlord. Although this may be time-consuming, it is truly worth trying.
How Long Does An Eviction Stay On Your Record
If you have been evicted from your previous apartment, the eviction will remain on your records for 7 years until it is cleared from the public records. However, this period varies from one state to another. Although this may take time, sometimes, you can wait and consider other viable alternatives with regard to tenancy. Knowing that one day the eviction will be removed is a relief for many victims of such circumstances.
Final Words
Whether you were evicted due to rent arrears or failure to follow particular terms as indicated in the rental agreement, just know that you are not alone. Such issues can occur to any tenant out there. The good news is that you can still get another apartment to rent out there. The ideas mentioned above can help you get started and thereby allow you to carry on with your everyday life. Consider these ideas today, and you will get an apartment despite facing eviction in the past.