Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm moving to Oregon from Texas this month, so I'll be renting a new apartment. I am employed full-time, have a good credit score, no criminal background, and can offer several good rental references.
The only thing I'm worried about is that my previous landlord was kinda crazy and we ended on bad terms. She wanted to sell the condo I was living in, and after I turned down her offer to buy it, she started treating me really badly to force me out. She changed the locks on the condo without telling me, never returned my deposit, etc. When I gave 40 days notice to move out (as stated in my lease), she claimed that I didn't give proper notice. After I gave notice, she started bringing potential buyers into the condo, sometimes without notifying me. Once she called and yelled at me because I was in the shower when she brought someone by and she couldn't show the condo, but she had never notified me that she would be coming by at that time.
She claimed there was water damage to the floor that I needed to pay for after I moved out. When I asked her to send me evidence of the water damage/documentation on how much the repair would cost, she never replied to me. It was such a nightmare.
I didn't end up suing that bad landlord because it just wasn't worth the stress, so I don't have any court documents in my favor to explain the situation. I always paid on time and all of that, but I doubt she would give me a positive reference after that mess. I have several good rental references before that time, and a good reference from my current landlord. I moved out more than two years ago, so I'm wondering if I should even list her in my rental history? It's an isolated situation, but I know it might be a red flag to some landlords.
I think you should list her. Since she was your previous landlord, it will look weird on your application for the hole to be there in your rental history. I am really suspicious when a tenant leaves out a current or previous landlord that's a recent one. It's also a perfect reason to turn down the applicant - turning in an incomplete application. I would figure you had something to hide, and would be less likely to believe an explanation, if I had to ask for one.
Sounds like you didn't leave owing any money, didn't break a lease, and there was no court case, no eviction, no judgment. Did I understand that correctly?
So, all you have to be worried about is her saying mean things. I think you can deal with this.
As a manager, I recommend to you that you put all the references down - the nasty previous one, and all other good ones before that, even if you have to attach a separate piece of paper to the application.
Then, when you turn it in, tell them what happened. But, I'd keep it to a short statement, like, we parted on bad terms, after I turned down her offer to buy the place. I can give you more details than that if you want, but if you contact my other previous landlords, you will see that I am a good tenant.
And if you let her keep your deposit to stay out of court, say that, too. That way you don't look litigious, and it sounds reasonable, and she'll look like a brat when the prospective landlord calls her up, knowing you forfeited your deposit to stay out of court with her, that she offered to sell you her place (so obviously you weren't evicted for being a bad tenant), when she starts listing your faults.
If you look stable as a paying tenant, employment-wise, and have good credit, and as i said, there's no eviction, no court record, etc., and the other landlords say you hung the moon....I'd rent to you. I've had similar situations before. I do a lot of checking, and if it makes sense, and everything else looks good, I have rented to the tenant. I've had nasty landlords in my past, so I don't automatically discount a nasty landlord story.
I disagree. The OP has previous good references and she will have a good current reference. She also has a clean background, is gainfully employed and has good credit. If a potential LL even notices a gap (and I very much doubt that will even happen), he or she can ask.
I disagree. The OP has previous good references and she will have a good current reference. She also has a clean background, is gainfully employed and has good credit. If a potential LL even notices a gap (and I very much doubt that will even happen), he or she can ask.
OP, just so you know, your credit report will list all of your previous addresses. And as a manager, I always cross reference them.
And, if I have other applicants who qualify, and haven't omitted any information, sometimes I just toss the incomplete one and move on. It's a red flag to me.
But, as I said, if you were honest with me from the get-go, I'd continue looking at your application and not just move on to the next one.
Why take the chance on paying for more than one application fee? Plus, every time someone runs your credit, your credit score goes down.
Not worth the gamble to me, but as you will see, you will get more than one opinion here.
Sounds like you didn't leave owing any money, didn't break a lease, and there was no court case, no eviction, no judgment. Did I understand that correctly?
That's correct. I know I *could* have sued, but it was such a small amount of money, and the whole thing had been so stressful already, I just let it go. @NoMoreSnowForMe, thank you for the advice. I think I'll go ahead and list her with the note you suggested, along with my good references. I think I'll just put together a doc with all of my previous landlords and print out some copies to have ready to attach to an application.
That's correct. I know I *could* have sued, but it was such a small amount of money, and the whole thing had been so stressful already, I just let it go. @NoMoreSnowForMe, thank you for the advice. I think I'll go ahead and list her with the note you suggested, along with my good references. I think I'll just put together a doc with all of my previous landlords and print out some copies to have ready to attach to an application.
Sounds perfect. Tenants who show up on time, give me complete info and docs, etc., make major points with me. I'm sure you'll be fine.
OP, just so you know, your credit report will list all of your previous addresses. And as a manager, I always cross reference them.
And, if I have other applicants who qualify, and haven't omitted any information, sometimes I just toss the incomplete one and move on. It's a red flag to me.
But, as I said, if you were honest with me from the get-go, I'd continue looking at your application and not just move on to the next one.
Why take the chance on paying for more than one application fee? Plus, every time someone runs your credit, your credit score goes down.
Not worth the gamble to me, but as you will see, you will get more than one opinion here.
My credit report has my current address and my last address only.
My LLs have been most interested in credit and income, then ask for 1 LL reference. OP should be fine omitting 1 LL.
I don't think I even have contact info for some of my prior LLs
My credit report has my current address and my last address only.
....................................
The credit reports that I receive have all prior addresses listed (maybe there is a time limit). Sometimes I get 8-10 addresses listed on the report.
The first thing I do when I receive the report is to check and see if the applicant has been truthful about their current and prior address. If they have lied, it is instant reject. I'm not interested in speaking to one of their buddies who is pretending to be their prior landlord, and I am not interested in hearing excuses and rationalizations. Lie on the application, and we are done.
OP, it is pretty standard for a landlord to check the applicant's current landlord and the one for the place they lived at just prior to that. So, you've just got to get yourself a new landlord and be an excellent tenant and if your current landlord will give you a good reference and the brand new landlord ends up giving youa good reference, then you have 2 good references again and the bad one is very likely to fall off your applications and not be checked by the landlord.
Also, just because you had a personality conflict with that landlord does not necessarily mean they will give you a bad reference. If rent was paid on time and there was no damage to the property, then that landlord might not say anything more than that.
Sometimes the credit reports have addresses listed that are not true. I had two addresses on my credit report that were places I have never lived. One was my sister's apartment - which I never lived there. Then, there was a second address that I have no idea why it was listed and I never knew anyone to have lived at that address.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
