How To Get An Apartment With An Eviction

How to Rent an Apartment After Being Evicted

Evictions often occur because of failure to pay rent, too many complaints or property damage
To avoid having to discuss an eviction, look for lenient property owners who won't run a credit report
Present yourself as a model tenant to soften the preconceptions associated with an eviction

There's never an easy situation surrounding an eviction from your home. Whether it's a disagreement with your landlord or a situation that's out of your control, it can become a dark cloud that follows you within your rental history. You're left wondering, how to get an apartment with an eviction?

It's hard to get a firm number on annual evictions in the United States. Some states, like California and New York, don't make records public. Certain property owners evict without going through the legal process. Currently, with a federal moratorium in place, evictions are, thankfully, on hold. However, that won't last indefinitely.

According to Eviction Lab, between 2000-2016, there was roughly one eviction for every 17 renter households. In 2016 alone, there were almost 90,000 tracked evictions. While not a huge percentage of tenants, each eviction packs a punch and leaves a lasting mark.

After getting evicted, you may ask yourself what's next? Are there even places where I can rent if I have an eviction? The answer is yes. Although the process for finding apartments that accept evictions is a little more complicated, you do have options.

eviction notice

Facing an eviction

There's an actual eviction process, according to the Tenants Union of Washington State. "An eviction notice must first be served properly and the tenant must have failed to comply, pay or vacate within the specified timeframe." Common reasons that lead to eviction include:

Failure to pay rent or paying late too often
Failure to follow specific terms within the rental agreement
Too many complaints against you as a tenant
Damage to the property beyond normal wear and tear
Illegal activity within the property

A property owner also may have the right to simply ask you to leave. If they want to move into the property or are planning to take it off the rental market, they can tell you to vacate. In some cases, they don't even need a reason.

Regardless of why you get evicted, that blemish on your rental history can make finding your next apartment challenging. The best tip is to embrace the situation because there's nothing you can do about it, and move forward.

An eviction moratorium

The current environment we find ourselves in has changed, at least temporarily, how evictions work. COVID-19 has hit our economy in ways nobody could have predicted, and we need our homes even more than before to provide safety and protection from this pandemic. But making rent is also getting harder, leading to stimulus plans to supplement income and legislation that prevents evictions.

An eviction moratorium blocks property managers from evicting tenants who can't pay rent. It's not, however, like getting a free place to stay. The rent still accumulates, but you may be off the hook when it comes to paying late fees or other penalties. It all depends on the moratorium rules in your area.

At the federal level, the moratorium came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which halted residential evictions in certain situations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. States, counties and even cities can also tack onto this order other tenant protections that further ban evictions.

It's important to track these moratoriums because they are constantly changing. To make sure you're up to date about the rules where you live, check out our eviction resource page.

Figuring out how to get an apartment with an eviction

Because an eviction can show up on your credit report or in a background check, there's no point in believing you can hide it from someone who's looking. If you're interested in an apartment that runs a rental history report, that property manager will find out about the situation whether you tell them or not. It's best to embrace your past and meet it head-on when applying for your next apartment.

1. Make a good first impression

man dressed in suit for his apartment meeting

Going into an interview with a known eviction creates certain preconceived notions about you, which you can quickly counteract by making the right first impression. Combat them by treating the meeting like a job interview.

Dress professionally
Present a neat and organized appearance
Arrive on time and be polite
Bring all relevant financial documents and those related to your rental history with you

The saying goes, you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have. This applies to getting an apartment, too. Present yourself as the ideal tenant, not one living under the shadow of an eviction.

2. Pay off debts

paying bills

If your credit took a hit after your eviction, or because of it, begin rebuilding. Pay bills on time and cut down on any outstanding debt. Even if you're still making up ground from a layoff or coronavirus-related expenses, doing what you can helps. This attention to your financial situation can put you in a better position for your next apartment by raising your credit score.

It's also a good idea to check your credit score before filling out your next rental application. This prevents you from having any surprises to deal with if the property manager runs a report and your score isn't as high as you'd thought.

You'll also need to manage the debt of any outstanding rent. Once you pay that off, contact your previous property manager to discuss the possibility of removing the eviction from your credit report. Not only will this clear your record, but it will also improve your credit score.

The property owner can also submit a letter of intent to drop the eviction for you to use as evidence with your next rental application since it can sometimes take a while for this change to get made.

3. Bring references, lots of references

references

References should establish your quality of character since, with an eviction, there's a quick assumption that you did something wrong. Get references from past employers, colleagues, friends and family who can speak to your character and the type of tenant you'll be. Ask your references before you list them to ensure they give you a good review if contacted.

You can also ask two to three of your best references to write a letter to submit with your rental application. Getting your employer to write a letter can do double-duty, showing that you're gainfully employed and a responsible tenant. Having a past roommate write another can illustrate what you're really like as a tenant from their first-hand experience living with you.

4. Prepare an offer that's hard to refuse

cash money

Don't shy away from being flexible with a property manager who's hesitant to rent to you because of your eviction. Show them your willingness to make this situation more comfortable by giving them some added security if you get to lease the apartment.

Offer to bring in a co-signer who doesn't have an eviction in their rental history
Pay a larger security deposit
Put down more than the first and last month's rent in advance

Each of these extra levels of security can help assuage a property manager's fears that you'll default on paying rent.

5. Tell the truth

Young woman looking concerned during her interview with a property owner

The truth is always the best option, whether it makes you look better or worse. Your prospective property manager will appreciate your willingness to approach the eviction with honesty. Don't shy away from explaining why the eviction happened.

We're all facing tougher times right now, so it's best to answer questions truthfully and be forthright about your situation. "A landlord may be willing to rent an apartment to you if you can show that the circumstance was a one-time incident beyond your control," writes Karina C. Hernandez from Sapling.

Once the property manager understands your situation, you may get accepted based on circumstances not being your fault or being related to a situation — like COVID — that has impacted us all.

6. Rebuild your credit

credit card

Starting from scratch and rebuilding credit damaged by an eviction can take a lot of time. However, it resets you completely to go about renting apartments without hiccups.

While this may become a multi-year process, working with a non-profit credit repair agency can keep you on track. Best to use as a final option, because of the time, but when you're all done, it's like the eviction was never on your credit in the first place.

If you move a lot or are trying to put the circumstances that led your eviction behind you, this option may work the best in the long run.

Finding apartments that accept evictions

There's no category of apartments called, "accepts evictions," for people to search. More lenient property owners are out there but can be hard to find. One thing to check for is whether they require a tenant background check to rent.

Many private owners may not. They may allow you to provide your own set of materials to qualify you as a tenant. Documents like a referral from a common friend or references from previous property managers may work.

The reason you don't want a formal credit report run is because that's where your eviction will show up in one of two ways:

If you failed to pay rent and your property manager sent the delinquency to a collections agency
If your property manager went through the legal system for your eviction and a civil judgment gets issued. This creates a public record that you owe unpaid rent or court fees.

Public records from the legal proceedings can get amended if you pay what you owe and the property manager lifts the eviction. However, it's typically harder to erase the collections agency from your permanent record.

Lauren Ward from Crediful offers this advice: "While there's not a set timeframe for when this information appears on your credit report, the item is treated like any other delinquent debt on your credit report. That means it will remain there for seven years from the date of delinquency, even if you eventually pay it off."

Another strategy is to use an apartment locator or rental brokerage service that works with tenants with a prior eviction. They can help you take the stress out of the apartment search by only showing you listings that fit your situation.

With an eviction in your history, it's easier to get a place where they don't dig too deeply. This way, you can control the story and present a more realistic picture of yourself as a tenant.

Keeping a positive outlook

An eviction can feel like you're going to stall in the ability to rent an apartment, but that isn't always the case. With the right approach to your next rental opportunity, and a little extra work preparing to go through the rental application process, you may end up in an apartment you never thought would accept you.

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