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Old 11-20-2014, 04:15 PM
 
615 posts, read 724,087 times
Reputation: 910

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Similar to the "Every job requires prior job experience" catch-22, it seems that every apartment requires having a prior landlord to use as a reference. I've never rented an apartment. My last 2 living situations have been room rentals from people on Craigslist. I don't want to use the people I've rented from as references because they're very unfriendly! The guy I'm renting from now seemed nice when I first met him, but after I moved in he became cold and doesn't ackowledge me when I say hi. I'm a good tenant, but I just don't have any landlord references. Can I still get an apartment somehow?
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Old 11-21-2014, 12:18 AM
 
4,787 posts, read 11,715,861 times
Reputation: 12758
You do have prior landlords- the people who rented rooms to you. Use them. A current landlord isn't looking to see if prior landlords became your best buds. They just want to be able to check to see if you paid the rent on time every month and didn't trash your living space.

Another possibility would be to have a co-signer for a year. Is there a family member nearby who may be willing to do that?

Also, it maybe easier to rent from an owner occupied two-three family house than it will be to rent from a big corporate owned complex with a management company running it.
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Old 11-21-2014, 11:34 AM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,539 posts, read 47,619,487 times
Reputation: 77944
Well, as a landlord, I know you've had to live someplace. If you won't tell me where, I will assume that you expect the prior landlord to tell me something really awful about you.

If you paid rent on time and left the place clean, that is all the new landlord wants to know. I want to hear it from a landlord, though, and not a tenant who was subletting a room to you.

If you applied to me, and if I could verify everything, and if your prior landlord gave you a good reference, I might accept you with additional deposit. Or I might require a qualified cosigner.

There are a few landlords who do not check references. If you can't find a decent place to live, try the more slummy looking places. Those belong to landlords who don't care. Be a good tenant there and you can move next year with a good reference.
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Old 11-21-2014, 12:56 PM
 
16,715 posts, read 19,333,904 times
Reputation: 41481
Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidRudisha View Post
Similar to the "Every job requires prior job experience" catch-22, it seems that every apartment requires having a prior landlord to use as a reference. I've never rented an apartment. My last 2 living situations have been room rentals from people on Craigslist. I don't want to use the people I've rented from as references because they're very unfriendly! The guy I'm renting from now seemed nice when I first met him, but after I moved in he became cold and doesn't ackowledge me when I say hi. I'm a good tenant, but I just don't have any landlord references. Can I still get an apartment somehow?
Haven't you figured out yet that everything going wrong in your life right now is all about your attitude? Maybe if you were nicer to people you wouldn't have all these problems.
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Old 11-21-2014, 02:59 PM
 
Location: Florida -
10,213 posts, read 14,772,645 times
Reputation: 21845
If you don't feel you can provide a good landlord reference, at least provide a few GOOD personal references: Responsible people who know and think highly of you. Then, explain your situation and offer to pay an additional deposit (with the understanding that it will be returned at the end of your first year as a 'good tenant' who pays their rent on time and takes care of the place).

If you cannot provide GOOD local references OR a landlord reference, you should probably ask yourself "Why Not?" --- and not simply expect a new landlord (or employer) to accept your word that you are a good tenant/employee).
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