couple with two kids looking for apartment with no credit check Asap (apartment complexes)

[eaves88]

My fiancé and I have a six and seven year old and we are in need of a place to move ASAP. The property we are currently living in has filed for bankruptcy, and we are having trouble finding a place with no credit check. We are 24 and 25, and I have about 2000 in deliquent credit cards from the age of 18, so this is greatly affecting the outcome of apartment applications.if anyone knows of any 2 bedroom homes or apartments, please inform me asap

[GarnerMama]

You could try craigslist or the News and Observer website. I'm not sure where else to look, it's been a long time since I've rented. I would maybe try to appeal to someone that's renting a place rather that an Apartment complex. They may be willing to work with you. It seems like a person would be more willing to work with you than a corporation. I would have a criminal record, job references, rental history, and maybe a character reference handy. I would approach it armed with as much positive info as possible. Lots of people understand about people making credit mistakes as a kid; they just want to know you're dependable now. Good luck!

[Jkgourmet]

I assume you have been making your rent payments on time. Will your current landlord write a letter stating that fact? Sort of lie a reference letter from a prior employer?

And I hope you have retained each and every receipt showing that you HAVE paid your rent on time?

[cyn7cyn]

I have been in your shoes many times. You will have more luck with personal owned properties then apartment complexes. My advice is fake it with alot of cash up front. Dont lie on an application but dont volunteer anything bad. Act positive about process and have the deposit and first months rent in hand when looking.Most landlords really just want the money and would rather not have to do all the checks. It costs them money too. I even have the application fee as well. They usually feel if your willing to pay to apply you must feel confident in being approved. Bluff!

[zthatzmanz28]

Those debts should be ready to drop off soon. It has been almost 7 years? Anyway, like they say, deal with a privately owned unit rather than a commercial. We have never had problems renting (houses) with no credit check. Each time we moved across the county, we have found our new place on CraigsList.

[evaofnc]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

Those debts should be ready to drop off soon. It has been almost 7 years?

Only if they've been paid off. If they are still delinquent then often what the collections agencies will do is wait until it's right around the time they would drop off your credit report and they'll refile them. So then you're stuck with them on your report for another seven years. In some ways you're better off just waiting to pay off the delinquent bill in full than paying it off in installments because each time there is activity on a delinquent account it'll renew the seven year start date!

[eaves88]

Thanks to all the replies. We are going to try the private properties. We both have sufficient income, but keep getting denied because of credit. My fiancé is going through a divorce, so that's making it harder.

[saturnfan]

Originally Posted by evaofnc

Only if they've been paid off. If they are still delinquent then often what the collections agencies will do is wait until it's right around the time they would drop off your credit report and they'll refile them. So then you're stuck with them on your report for another seven years. In some ways you're better off just waiting to pay off the delinquent bill in full than paying it off in installments because each time there is activity on a delinquent account it'll renew the seven year start date!

As a former credit investigator, let me clear up a mistake. The item stays on your report seven years from last activity. A fraudulent filing by a collection agency to invalidly re-age the debt can be challenged and removed. You are, as stated, better not making partial payments that will re-start the 7 year clock.

Now, if you approach a landlord at a complex with a copy of your credit report (free from www.annualcreditreport.com) and a good rental reference, they may be able to help you if you have a good income and a larger than normal deposit. I did this in 1989 with a major landlord after a very destructive layoff in New Orleans followed by Chapter 7.