Credit Score for Renting: What Landlords Look For & How to Improve

Your credit score is a vital part of your financial history used to indicate credit worthiness. Most people realize you need good credit to buy a home, but you also need good credit to rent an apartment. Credit scores of 700 or better suggest good credit management, according to the credit bureau Experian. While not all apartment managers check credit reports, the majority require it as part of the application process.

Credit Basics

Most credit scores range between 600 and 750. When it comes to renting an apartment, there's no required minimum credit score. Apartment managers and landlords generally view your entire credit report, not just the credit score. They might look for delinquencies, accounts in good standing, foreclosures, bankruptcies, judgments and evictions. In addition to checking credit, apartment managers also consider employment and rental history when screening applicants.

Renting With Poor Credit

According to Apartment Guide, although it's more difficult to rent an apartment with bad credit, it's not impossible. A few credit blemishes might not be an automatic deal-breaker. The apartment manager will usually require a higher security deposit. If you want to avoid a high deposit, you could ask a family member to co-sign on the lease. Other options include prepaying the rent for several months or having the payments automatically debited from your bank account.