6 year old apartment debt - Looking to Rent (Tampa: rentals, credit report)

[ARosendo1992]

Hello,

I am currently looking to rent an apartment/house in the Tampa area but I am concerned about my rental history. I have two apartment debts listed on my credit report, one with a balance of about $300 for damage they say I caused in the apartment which I thought was unfounded considering I left the apartment in the exact way it was a given to me and the other is for $2600 for breaking a lease after I lost my job. Both of these debts are 6+ years old and are due to fall off my credit report in late 2019 and early 2020 but for now they are there and I cant afford to pay them both off. After breaking my lease back in 2012 I moved into my mother's house who was traveling abroad and basically assumed the finances under her name so I've been living in the same place for last 5 years and have worked diligently to improve my credit situation which was in horrendous condition back in 2012 but now I have a 680 score which isnt great but decent and I really need to rent a new place. Will that old apartment debt really hinder me from renting? If I could wait another year for it fall off I would but i cant and I also can't both pay the debt and the cost of moving. What should I do?

[LKJ1988]

You can rent plenty of small 2 bedroom homes in west Pasco for under 700 a month and no back ground check. These scum bag landlords let anyone rent.

[Bobdreamz]

Yes it will hinder you from renting. It implies that you aren't a trustworthy tenant. If it was just one issue such as breaking your lease due to unemployment that can be explained but you also have the issue with property damage.
The only thing I can suggest is to see if you can rent from a private owner who wont run your credit. Otherwise you will be wasting your time & possibly damaging your credit further if you go to a rental community.
The other option is to wait until next year.

[KPB]

Maybe look into one of the companies that clean up your credit and see if they can get those 2 things removed any sooner?

[cjairo191]

Check Craigslist for rentals. You will probably find one on there that does not check credit.

[McBain II]

Just apply and see what happens. Assuming these accounts were listed by debt collectors, there is no real way anyone will be able to tell if it is from an old credit card, apartment or medical debt. If these are the only real blemishes on your credit report you probably don't have a whole lot to worry about.