This post is a guest post from Jennifer Riner of Zillow, a terrific website that can help you find homes and rentals. Zillow also has a very cool home value estimate tool that you can play around with. If you’re looking for some expert rental information, you’ve come to the right place today!
How to Find a New Rental After an Eviction Notice | brokeGIRLrich
It happens – sudden unemployment, unexpected medical bills and scholarship extractions – these financial burdens often lead to failure of timely bill payments. Renters use large percentages of their funds or paychecks to afford apartments or rental homes. Housing dues, along with groceries and basic necessities, might be a struggle to balance. The worst case scenario is eviction, and renters may not realize their futures as leaseholders are negatively impacted after such incidents.
Take the following steps to best bounce back – both financially and emotionally – after an eviction.
Apologize
Attempt to remedy situations with previous, disgruntled landlords. They may be willing to remove records of ejection from credit reports if tenants pay missing rent or damage fees. Since evictions are publicly documented, make sure to sign written agreements that state a landlord’s intent to remove evictions after dues are paid in full.
Keep receipts for any transactions relating to this agreement in case landlords accept payments without clearing records. Although unlikely, resentful landlords may feel it is their duty to warn future property managers of irresponsible tenants. Some believe evicted renters should reimburse and be recognized as irresponsible lessees for the rest of their lives. It’s best to rectify the situation as soon as possible to prevent backlash.
Ask for References
Even with blemished credit histories, positive references act as proof that evictions were merely mishaps. Prior landlords can attest to responsible renting habits by writing letters of recommendation. Business partners are also strong references, as long as tenants feel comfortable explaining evictions to professional associates.
Future lessees with bad or no credit often enlist the help of cosigners, or third parties, who take responsibility for paying rent if tenants go into default at any point throughout their leases. Find trustworthy, financially stable friends or siblings to cosign. Obviously, avoid letting the situation reach a point where they need to intervene by paying rent on time.
Build Credit
If time allows, raise damaged credit scores before applying for new rentals. First, check post-eviction scores to determine how much they diminished. Pay off any debts listed and make sure they are erased from records afterwards.
Continuously pay bills on time every month to ensure good credit. Raising credit scores takes time and patience. Individuals who can crash with friends in between rentals might have better luck, but those who need to rent again right away might not benefit in time for their next rental applications.
Search for Private Owners
Homeowners, rather than multi-family property managers, are more likely to overlook credit history when searching for tenants to fill their vacant properties. Use online rental search tools to find homes or condos for rent, and apply for units listed by individual property owners instead of large corporations. Lessors concerned over prior evictions might be willing to rent in exchange for a larger security deposit or referrals from other tenants.
Explain the Situation
Be prepared to explain to future landlords why and how the prior eviction occurred. Although awkward, this is the best chance for tenants to explain their previous financial woes.
Landlords are likely to sympathize with evicted tenants who experienced family losses, were financially burdened by medical issues or faced recent career lay-offs. The best way to approach these situations is openly and honestly. Explain the steps taken to ensure evictions won’t occur in the future and how they triggered increased responsibility in renting and finances.
Evictions, although credit history blemishes, won’t entirely ruin leasing potential. In fact, implementing these tactics as long-term solutions might help build credit higher than it was prior to being evicted.
Tenants experiencing financial issues impacting their ability to pay rent on time should communicate honestly with landlords. Being forthcoming might help create empathy and/or ease tensions when both parties attempt to prevent evictions.
Fantastic guest post! Hard to argue with someone from Zillow!
I like to go the private ownership route. When dealing with a full-time landlord, it’s much harder to get a deal (they will always know more than you about housing!). Privately, though, I feel there are lots of deals to be had. I’ve had great luck finding deals through Craigslist. I used to only pay $275 all included (cleaning lady, DirecTV, HOA, etc).
Thanks for the post. Feels fresh. 🙂
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When I lived in Virginia one year my rent was $185/month… not all that long ago. And for an apartment that could swallow my current one whole about 3 times over. I had two roommates, but it was worth it for that price.
I’ve never been evicted, but I’ve known many property owners who have needed to evict a tenant – definitely a difficult situation for all involved. I see myself being a landlord in the future, but I plan to have enough cash reserves to deal with late payments, etc. I would certainly try to be understanding about difficult financial situations. I think most people want to do the right thing.
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It would certainly be nice to be well enough off to be understanding when people are having an off month or two, but I don’t necessarily think most people want to do the right thing. I hope whatever tenants you find do though!
Great post! This post incorporates a bunch of helpful tips for people who recently got evicted from their home.
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Eviction is not something good for a tenant. It can really make the things tough to find a new rental. You provided some great tips to ease the situation after eviction. Most of the times apologetic behavior works really well. All of us deserves a second chance.
Being able to explain the situation is important. You need to learn how to tell people what happened, without seeming like you are coming up with an excuse. Another thing, is after it happens, you need to try and plan to make sure it doesn’t happen agian.
Having the capacity to clarify the circumstance is imperative. You have to figure out how to tell individuals what happened, without appearing as though you are concocting a reason. Something else, is after it happens, you have to attempt and plan to verify it doesn’t happen agian
With an eviction notice, how long of a time period would you have to work through it? From what my wife tells me is that we were able to find the receipts of all the payments we made but somehow the landlord of our apartment informed us that they are missing two month of rent. I’m thinking about calling an eviction service to handle this and to provide them the proof of these receipt because to us we feel like we’re being treated unfairly.
I would call a lawyer if you have proof of all the payments required and a copy of your lease.
I love the idea just explaining your situation. If it was something out of your control then I’m sure most property managers will understand. Thanks so much for sharing.
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My name is teresa goins I received an aviction notice notice about three weeks ago the reason being the lady that owns the property passed away I have been on this property for over thirty years now her niece inherited everything she had and their was never a lease between us I lost my mother four and a half years ago and the owner that passed away told me I could stay here long as I wanted justvworry about my moms funeral bill and keep it clean around it and yard mowed she didn’t want any lot rent I own the trailor I live in but its fourty four years old falling down and full of black mold I have a thirteen year old daughter and no family alive to take her to I’m on ssi and my oldest son lives with me have no transportation at all unless a friend comes by I have called every where thank you
Great article, thank you for sharing. I think maybe when you put in your application to rent, if you added a letter of why you wanted to rent there and your special circumstances of what happened – maybe that could help assist you.
My brother just got an eviction notice from his apartment. I’m trying to help him settle into another place. I love your tip to apologize and try to remedy the situation. I don’t think my brother did that. It would’ve helped out his whole situation.
I think most people have a heart enough to understand why you had to get an eviction. Everyone goes through troubling times, and people have to understand that. I like that you say honesty is one of the best ways to approach it though.
My experience has been that unless you find a private owner who is desperate to rent their property, being honest no matter what the circumstance may not help. I’ve been taken to court but moved before court date and since I didn’t show up to contest amount owed was left with the highest amount possibly thought of by the landlords lawyer. And because I refuse to pay an exaggerated amount I’m stuck with it on my credit. Another time, due to medical issues that limited my ability to work I was taken to court monthly for about 9mos straight (same landlord) and even though I paid off balance owed right after each court date and am nolonger disabled, new landlords still used it as negative and refused to rent to me. Currently my income is 6x any rent I would attempt to lease but I’m finding it hard to get a place based on my high income and long length of employment alone, seems they only care about if an eviction shows up on your credit!
Ugh, that really does suck. Maybe if you’ve previously rented through private owners, you could request letters of recommendation to send in with your lease application?
A notice of eviction is much like any other notice. If the notice or its method of delivery is invalid or defective in any way, it must be filed again by the landlord. At a minimum, this can provide the tenant with another week or two to work through a solution.
Thanks for the posting;)
Hey buddy!
This post integrates a cluster of useful guidelines for people who recently got evicted from their home.
Eviction can really make the things tough to find a new rental.You have mentioned some great tips to ease the situation after eviction.It is good to apologise to the landlord if the tenant forget to pay the rent or pat it late .Great article .
Regards
Nelson
It’s unfortunate that you assume the landlord is always good, fair and right. I am currently in a situation where the landlord has broken multiple laws, violated many of my rights and now is being hostile and aggressive since I had to hire a lawyer. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY no fairness in our system when it comes to facing a corrupt landlord who consistently violates the law but doesn’t ever get cited by corrupt housing department officials. I am so sick of everyone assuming that landlords are wonderful and poor renters are scum. We have serious water leaks, a hole in the screen (west nile virus anyone), black mold and no access to our mailbox, which is a direct violation of state law, yet they get away with all of it. Renters need a way to protect themselves because landlords have all the money and power. It’s sick and I don’t know what to do about it because everything is skewed towards corporate landlords.
You make an interesting point about honesty from tenants to landlords. While there may be unseen consequences with that, there may be benefits as well.
Getting quality recommendations could go along way toward making a difference, as you share. Private owners may be a good option as well.
I applied for a home loan – wasn’t approved – the loan company works with people with subpar credit though. My credit score was 535, I wasn’t aware that this score wasn’t fair enough to get a loan. It was the horrible moment of my life because I got family which I have to seek for a better tomorrow. Few weeks later I come across a credit instructor online and I contact him via his gmail (cyberhack005), he gave me list of action items that needed to be done. He figured it would take me about a week to take care of it all. He gave me an assurance deadline of 1 week out. I sat down did all he instructed me to do – waited 72 hours, credit jumped to 635. I got an approval on a home loan but it wasn’t ideal. Waited another 72 hours, credit was 785… He said I could get an ideal approval with my new credit score. I don’t know how he did it, but I was so happy. signed on house at a month instead of 1 year. The loan officer couldn’t believe it! I now own my home, have lived in it for over a year. Love my house!
Did this truly work?
Landlords are not that understanding. I suffered from financial headship s after my husband lost his job. I have been open and honest about my situatio, frankly nobody cares. I have been looking for a place to rent for 5 months. It’s very frustrating.