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Apartments that Accept Evictions

Finding apartments that accept evictions isn’t easy because apartment owners are understandably reluctant to accept renters with an eviction on their record.

But even though it’s more difficult to find a rental when you’ve got an eviction on your record, it’s not impossible if you know how to find apartments for rent that accept evictions.

You’ll need to do some research in your local area, and you may need to pay a higher security deposit or provide a rent guarantor or cosigner before a landlord will agree to rent to you.

We’ve created this guide to finding apartments for rent that accept evictions to help you find a new home, so let’s jump in.

How To Find Apartments That Accept Evictions 2024 – First Steps

How To Find Apartments That Accept Evictions

Before you focus your search on apartments near me that take evictions, work out if your eviction will still count against you. If it’s an old eviction, it could have dropped off your record already.

Evictions stay on your background report for 7 years, they don’t last forever. When an eviction is older than 7 years, it won’t be visible when a landlord or apartment manager runs a rental background check on you.

Can you get your eviction record removed? If your eviction is more recent, you may be able to remove it from your record if you can show that your landlord didn’t follow the correct legal process for evicting tenants.

Check the eviction laws in your state to make sure you were given the eviction notice in the correct form and in the required timeframe. If your eviction wasn’t legal, contact a lawyer to help you get it removed from your record.

Can you clear your rental debt? If the eviction followed the correct process, you may still be able to get it removed from your record, but to do this you’ll need to pay the outstanding rent and get your previous landlord (or the collections agency) to agree to expunge the eviction from your record.

Before you make any payments, negotiate with the landlord or collections agency and have them agree to expunge the eviction once you’ve paid the rent you owe.

You should prepare a contract that includes the full amount of the rent you owe, the payment schedule you’ll follow to clear the debt, and a commitment from the landlord or collections agency to expunge the debt from public records once you’ve made all of the payments.

Whenever possible, cooperating with your previous landlord and paying off your rental arrears is the best way to move forward because once you’ve cleared your debt, the eviction record will be removed and you’ll be able to rent a house or apartment without the eviction standing in your way.

If you can’t clear your rental debt, you’ll be stuck with the eviction record until 7 years have passed. During that period, you’ll be restricted to renting eviction-friendly apartments.

Clean Up Your Credit Record

Your eviction isn’t the only reason a landlord will decline your rental application. Most regular landlords only accept tenants with a credit score over 600. Rental arrears, other late or missed payments, and the eviction itself will all lower your credit score.

The 3 main credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, each issue 1 free credit report per year, so it won’t cost you anything to get a copy of your credit report. You’ll be able to see any problems you need to fix, and as you clear up late payments and debts in collections, your credit score will improve.

Look online for free guides that explain how to safely clean up your credit record, and follow the steps provided.

Provide References That Show You’re A Responsible Person

Provide References That Show You’re A Responsible Person

To get an apartment for rent with evictions on your record, you’ll need to show some evidence that you’re a responsible person.

  • Consider showing your bank statements covering the last 3 or 6 months.
  • Provide your pay stubs to show proof of your income.
  • Ask your employer to write a reference confirming how long you’ve been working for them and that you’re a trustworthy employee.

Be Prepared To Explain Why You Were Evicted

When you find a landlord with apartments for rent that accept evictions, be ready to explain why you were evicted from your last apartment.

Did you lose your job because your employer went out of business? Did you get behind on the rent because your partner left? Were you struggling with high monthly debt repayments that you’ve now finished paying? Was medical debt the reason for your financial problems?

The landlord isn’t looking for a sob story, they just want the facts surrounding your eviction so they can make a judgment about your ability and willingness to pay the rent on the due date every month.

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Get a Cosigner Or Guarantor For Your Lease

Landlords want to get paid, and if you can find a friend or relative to guarantee payment, you’ll find more landlords willing to work with you.

Cosigners and guarantors both undertake to pay the rent if you fail to make payments on time, and they’ll be required to sign legally binding agreements with the landlord.

The major difference between a cosigner and a guarantor is a cosigner sign the lease with you and is equally responsible for all rental payments. They’re also allowed to live on the property with you if they choose to.

A guarantor, on the other hand, is only responsible for late or missed payments and they don’t have the right to live in the property.

Cosigners and guarantors are legally responsible for paying the rent if you cannot pay on time, so it’s not an agreement that people enter into lightly. If you’re able to find a guarantor, you should commit to paying your rent on time so your friend or relative doesn’t face financial difficulties or a ruined credit score.

The person who agrees to guarantee your rent will have to undergo a credit check, and if they pass, you’ll be eligible to sign a lease.

To find out if a landlord will rent to you if you have a cosigner or guarantor, you’ll need to call the landlord or property manager and ask about their policies.

How To Find Eviction Approved Apartments

How To Find Apartments For Rent That Accept Evictions

There are several ways to find apartments for rent with evictions on your record.

  • Use Google to search for “apartments that work with evictions”
  • Search apartment rental sites
  • Ask on Reddit
  • Use a second-chance apartment finder
  • Look for a long-term Airbnb

Use Google To Search For Apartments That Take Evictions Near Me

To use this search, you need to allow Google to know your location. If this setting isn’t already enabled, you’ll see a pop-up notice asking for your permission. Just click or tap on “Allow”, and then you’ll get results showing you apartments for rent that accept evictions in your area.

Look through the listings and read the information carefully. Google doesn’t always get things right, and the apartments listed might actually state “no evictions” instead of “evictions accepted”.

The results could also list apartments that take evictions that are at least 3 years old, for example.

Even though searching for “apartments that accept evictions near me” isn’t guaranteed to give you useful results, it’s a quick and easy way to run a search that could give you some solid leads.

Search For Apartments on Rental Sites That Accept Evictions

Search For Apartments on Rental Sites That Accept Evictions

Look for eviction forgiveness apartments near me on rental sites.

  • Zillow
  • Rent.com
  • Trulia
  • Realtor.com
  • PadMapper
  • Rent Jungle
  • Abodo
  • RentCafe
  • Hotpads

Use the filter feature on each site to narrow down the results to apartments in your price range. Check each listing to see the minimum credit score required. If your credit score is close to or better than the minimum listed, call the property manager or landlord and explain your situation.

You can also use the filter options on rental sites to add keywords to your search. One very useful keyword to add to your search is “Section 8”.

Landlords that accept low-income tenants with Section 8 vouchers are often more willing to accept tenants with evictions and low credit scores.

Making a lot of calls is a tiresome and frustrating process, but you need to speak to landlords before you put in rental applications and pay application fees, or you’ll waste a lot of money on applications that go nowhere.

Making phone calls is a better use of your time and resources than filling out applications and hoping for the best.

If you’re nervous about calling landlords, send them an email or use the message facility on the rental site.

Often rental properties are handled by management companies, and even if the landlord of the property you’re interested in won’t accept you, another landlord on their books might.

Another way to use rental sites is to look for apartments or houses to rent that are listed by the property owner.

Individual landlords can be more flexible because they don’t have to stick to the corporate policies in place at large apartment complexes.

When you contact a landlord or property manager, don’t forget to ask if they’ll accept a cosigner or guarantor if you’ve been able to find one.

Search For Housing For Rent That Accept Evictions On Reddit

Search For Housing For Rent That Accept Evictions On Reddit

Reddit is the largest discussion forum on the internet and they have discussion groups called subreddits for pretty much everything you can think of.

The subreddit that you need to look through will be the subreddit for your location, and there’s a good chance that another renter has already asked about a list of apartments that accept evictions in your town or city.

Other Redditors may have replied with some suggestions for apartments near me that accept evictions and low credit scores. If so, you can look up the apartments mentioned to find the address and the landlord’s contact details.

In the Reddit search bar, enter the name of your city, then select the subreddit for that city from the results.

For example, if you’re searching for Houston, then the subreddit you need to look at is called r/Houston. If you’re searching for Portland, you need r/Portland.

Once you’re on the right subreddit, use the search bar and enter “apartments that allow eviction” or “apartments with bad credit”.

If you don’t see a relevant question in the search results, you’ll need to signup for an account and ask your own question.

Don’t expect an immediate answer. You’ll need to wait until someone who can help you reads your post.

Use A Second Chance Apartment Finder

For the biggest selection of apartments near me that accept evictions in your area, use a second-chance apartment finder or an apartment locator.

Second-chance apartment finders are often licensed real estate agents who maintain a database of local apartment complexes and landlords willing to work with tenants who can’t pass a rental background check.

A second chance apartment finder will be able to give you a list of apartments for rent that accept evictions and poor credit in your area.

Some apartment finders work on a no-fee basis. They’ll ask you about your rental background problems and your current employment and income situation, then they’ll check their database to see if they can match you up with landlords who will accept you given your history.

To make sure that you haven’t withheld any important details, the apartment finder may want to run a background check to pre-qualify you, and you’ll need to pay for that report, but that’s the only cost that a no fee apartment finder will pass on to you.

No fee apartment finders get paid a finder’s fee by the apartment owner when you sign a lease, which is why they can offer their services for free.

Other second-chance apartment finders will charge you a fee, and that’s because the landlords in their database don’t offer finder fees. These agents often have a wider range of apartments on their books, but you need to be careful when you’re paying money to an apartment finder because there are plenty of scammers who prey on desperate people.

  1. Before you choose an apartment finder to work with, ask if they’re a licensed real estate agent, and check their credentials on the national database at arello.com.
  2. Look for reviews of their business on sites like Trust Pilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  3. Be wary of any agent who will only communicate via text message.
  4. Avoid agents who try to rush you into paying for their services.
  5. Don’t send funds to cover advance rent or security deposits to an apartment finder. That money should be paid directly to the landlord once you’ve viewed the apartment and signed the lease.

To find a second chance apartment locator, search on Google or contact real estate agents in your area and ask if they can refer you to someone in their network who deals with apartments that will accept people who have evictions or bad credit.

Look For A Longer Term Rental On Airbnb

Look For A Longer Term Rental On Airbnb

You’re probably familiar with Airbnb rentals as an alternative to hotel accommodations for vacations or business trips. But you can also find Airbnb property owners willing to rent rooms, apartments, and houses for a longer period.

Airbnb carries out a criminal background check on guests using their service, and they also run a criminal background check on hosts (landlords) but you don’t have to pass a credit check.

Renting a long-term Airbnb has a number of benefits.

  • You aren’t committed to a standard 12-month lease, so if you find a more suitable apartment, you can move without worrying about breaking a lease.
  • Some property owners don’t ask for a security deposit, which makes it more affordable to move in.
  • Apartments are furnished, they’re move-in ready, and the furnishings and appliances aren’t old and tatty.
  • Your utility costs are often included in the rent, so the price you see will be your total housing cost each month.

To find a long-term Airbnb in your city or town, go to airbnb.com and select “Anywhere” on the menu. That will open a search bar where you can enter the location you’re interested in.

Next, enter dates covering at least 28 days to find hosts offering long-term rentals, then click or tap on “Search”.

The results will list all of the long-term rentals in your selected area. Select the “Filters” option on the menu. Enter your maximum price, then select the type of accommodation you’re interested in.

Check each listing to find out details about the accommodation and the amenities it offers. You’ll see a monthly rental price for each apartment and an option to check the rental availability.

How do you pay for a long-term Airbnb rental? You’ll need to pay for the first month when you make your booking, then you’ll pay for the next month 1 month after you check in. Payments for subsequent months are taken on the same day each month and you’ll always pay each month’s rent in advance.

Hosts may have a maximum length of stay for their property. This means that you might need to move again after 2 or 3 months. Contact hosts before you book a property to ask about a longer-term stay.

Wrapping Up

Even though finding apartments for rent that accept evictions takes extra time and effort, if you follow the suggestions in our guide, you’ll eventually find a new place to live.

Make sure you prepare as much as possible before contacting prospective landlords so you can show yourself in the best light.

Be persistent, and while it can be discouraging to receive rejection after rejection, don’t take it personally, just move on to the next apartment on your list.