Los Angeles Rentals | How Do I Handle No Credit or Bad Credit?

Los Angeles Rentals with no credit or bad credit?

A few of my rental clients are looking for Los Angeles rentals with less than stellar credit or no credit.

The sad part is they often don’t know that their credit will not meet the standards of a prospective landlord and are shocked when they are refused.  One hit on your report, a late payment, something about which you may not be aware, can drive your score down, so you need to check your credit report at least once a year.

What is considered good credit?

In my experience landlords are looking for around 720 and up.  If you are in the 600s then you need to pull out all the stops.

How can you get around a bad credit report or no credit?

Prospective tenants from another country generally have no credit.  Together with those who don’t have great credit the landlord may be satisfied with a combination of the following options:

  • Pay several months rent up front.
  • Find a strong guarantor who will sign the lease and be responsible over the entire tenancy.
  • Offer a little more in rent.
  • Find excellent references, especially previous landlords.
  • If you are from out of the country and working for a local company, get that company to vouch for you.  Maybe they will be willing to act as the guarantor.
  • Proof of enough funds to show that you can afford to pay the rent for a year with money to spare.

And last but not least, don’t even think of negotiating on the price.  You do not have a strong position from which to bargain.

Money can make a difference, so don’t give up, and be prepared to be creative.

 

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