Landlords are looking for the best candidate possible for their property, and most will carry out a credit check on potential tenants. Having no credit history or a black mark against your name could lead to you being overlooked by owners, meaning you may struggle to find a rental.

Is it hard to get an apartment with no rental history?

If you have no rental history behind you, or you’re renting an apartment for the very first time, getting approved can seem nearly impossible. While some landlords and property managers will be hesitant to work with first-time renters, there are some things you can do to make the process easier on yourself.

Do they check your credit score when renting an apartment?

In addition to pulling your credit score, landlords may also check your credit report for evictions, bankruptcies, accounts in collections, loan defaults and late payments. Before submitting any rental applications, you’ll want to check your credit report and score.

What if I have no rental history?

If you have no rental history, you can still rent property. You might need to jump through more hoops to do so. Your job is to convince the landlord that you will be a good tenant who will pay rent on time.

What credit scores do apartments look for?

“Each landlord is different, but most landlords and property managers look for a credit score above 600,” Fluegge says. FICO® and VantageScore® credit scores typically range from 300 to 850. An applicant with a higher credit score might be considered to have shown a pattern of managing their finances responsibly.

What is your credit score if you have no credit history?

No one actually has a credit score of zero, even if they have a troubled history with credit. The FICO scoring model, for instance, ranges between 300 and 850. According to Experian, 99% of consumers have FICO scores higher than 470. But if you have no credit history, you don’t have a score at all.

Why is no credit worse than bad?

If you have no credit, it means creditors don’t have a good way to predict how likely you are to pay your bills as agreed. It’s not the same as bad credit, which means you have a credit history with major blemishes. It’s harder to move your score up to the good range when you start with bad credit.