So you’re in the market for a new apartment. You’ve got a good job, have accrued a lot of new things and the confines of a one-bedroom apartment just aren’t big enough anymore. But there’s one problem – your rental history is less than stellar. Yes, back when you were younger and less mature, you fell behind on your rent payments. Eventually, you were evicted from your apartment.
You’ve since grown up a lot and have become much more responsible, so much so that you don’t even recognize the old you who was evicted from your previous apartment. But the fact of the matter is that you were evicted and are unsure how that’s going to look to future landlords.
Does this sound like you? If it does, take solace in the fact that you’re hardly alone. But your suspicions about how it will look to future landlords are legit, because to most, this type of rental history will be a major red flag. Does that mean that you should completely abandon your new apartment search because of your eviction history? No way – but you should be prepared for what may be a more difficult application process. Here’s a closer look at some information about evictions when it comes to your rental history:
How Long Does an Eviction Take to Appear on Your Record?
Generally speaking, evictions begin to appear on your credit report as well as your rental history report anywhere from 30 to 60 days from when the civil judgment is filed in court.
How Long do Evictions Stay on Your Record?
Generally, evictions stay on your record for seven years. After the seven year period expires, evictions are deleted from public record and thereby from your credit report and rental history. So if you’ve got an eviction on your record and can’t get anyone to lease to you, in the worst case scenario you can just let the eviction lapse from public record after seven years. Bottom line – the answer to the question of how long does an eviction stay on your credit report or any other type of record is seven years.
There’s an Eviction on my Record – How Can I Rent?
How long does a eviction stay on your credit report? As we covered, the timeline is seven years, so worst case scenario, you just have to wait it out for seven years until it is cleared from your report. However, there are other alternatives. For instance, it is possible to have evictions removed from your record prior to the seven year expiration via expungement. While it’s not always possible to have an eviction removed, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try. Additionally, you may have previously made amends with your previous landlord who evicted you. If that’s the case, contact them and see if they would consider contacting your new would-be landlord to explain the situation and vouch for you as a tenant.
Finally, another solution to getting approved for a lease with negative information on your record is simply to be up front and honest with your new landlord about your past. Explain your side of the story and tell them how you’ve learned from it. You may be surprised how many landlords will still be willing to work with you, even with an eviction or other negative information on your record.
How Else Can I Get My Rental History in Order?
You can essentially get your rental history in order the same way that you would go about getting your credit score in order – by pulling it, analyzing it and identifying ways to make it better. That’s why we recommend that you pull your rental history well before you go out looking and applying to new apartment complexes.
It’s inexpensive to do and will enable you to see everything that’s on your report. By pulling your report, you’ll be privy to the same information that landlords will be able to see when they run tenant background checks on you, so there won’t be any surprises during the application process and you’ll have a better idea of whether or not you’ll be approved or denied. If there are negative marks on your report, first make sure that they’re all accurate. If they are, take measures to either attempt to have them removed or adjust your behavior so that you clean up your act.
Remember, if your rental history is less than stellar, you’re not alone. It’s just a question of taking measures to ensure that you position yourself as best as you possibly can during the apartment or house leasing process. And this all starts with pulling and examining your rental history report.
