 TITLE: Do You Need a Credit Score to Rent a House or Apartment? CONTENT: Options for Renting an Apartment When You Have Bad or No Credit\n---------------------------------------------------------------\nThe following tactics can help you rent a house or apartment with poor credit or no credit history.\n*   **Establish or improve your credit.** If you don't need the apartment right away, spend a few months building a credit history or improving your credit. Signing up for Experian Boost™† , a free service that reports utility, phone and streaming service payments to credit bureaus, can help establish credit or increase your FICO® Score. Other quick ways to establish a credit history include applying for a secured credit card, becoming an authorized user on the credit card of a family member with good credit, or applying for a credit-builder loan—and paying all those bills on time. To help improve your credit score, bring any past-due accounts current, keep paying your bills on time, pay down debt and avoid applying for new credit, which can cause a temporary drop in your credit score.\n*   **Consider a cosigner.** Asking a close friend or family member with good credit to cosign the lease with you can help you secure an apartment that would otherwise be out of reach. By cosigning, they promise to pay the rent if you can't—so don't leave them in the lurch, or your relationship as well as your credit score may suffer. Before you have them sign, work out a plan for what happens in the case that you can't pay your rent.\n*   **Find a roommate.** One or more roommates with good credit can overcome your less-than-perfect credit, as long as you ask the landlord to check the roommate's credit first. You can also look for someone already renting and seeking a roommate. Depending on their situation, you may not need to be added to the lease or undergo a credit check.\n*   **Get references.** Ask former landlords, employers or business associates for letters of recommendation you can use to prove your reliability.\n*   **Demonstrate your rental payment history.** If you've previously rented but your landlord didn't report your payments to credit bureaus, use bank statements or rent receipts to show you paid rent regularly.\n*   **Pay more upfront.** Some landlords accept tenants with poor credit if they pay a bigger security deposit. Paying a few months' rent upfront can ease the landlord's concerns and give you a cushion if you have financial difficulties.\n*   **Offer more proof of income.** If you have a thin credit file, providing pay stubs for the past six to 12 months (instead of just a few weeks) may give a landlord confidence in your ability to pay.\n*   **Ask for a shorter lease or go month-to-month.** A three-month lease or month-to-month arrangement means landlords can more easily replace you if you can't pay, which may make them more willing to rent to you.\n*   **Consider a long-term Airbnb rental.** Many Airbnb properties can be rented on a monthly basis. If you book a reservation lasting 28 nights or more, you'll be charged a down payment for the first month; the rest will be collected in monthly installments. Bonus: Airbnb rentals are furnished, utilities are included, and you can even pay with a credit card.\nUse Your Rent Payments to Boost Your Credit Score\n-------------------------------------------------\nOnce you've signed the rental lease, having your landlord report your rent payments to credit bureaus can help you establish credit or improve your credit score. If your landlord doesn't already do this, see if you can convince them to start, or if they will let you pay via a rent payment service that works with Experian RentBureau.\nFinally, be sure to make your rent payments on time and comply with the rules of your lease. Being a model tenant will make it easier to qualify for an apartment or house the next time you want to move. END