Valid Reasons To Deny Rental Application

Insufficient income, past evictions, and bad credit history can prevent you from renting an apartment in most cases. Let’s take a look at a list of reasons why a rental application may be denied.

Why Would A Rental Application Get Denied?

If you’re trying to figure out why your rental application got rejected, it’s probably one of these ten reasons.

Not Enough Money

Most of the time, not having enough income is the main reason you won’t get approved for an apartment. If you’re new to renting or get paid in cash, you’ll need to prove your income. Some landlords might take cash, but it’s a good idea to have someone co-sign for you just in case.

Criminal History

When you apply to rent an apartment, they do background checks. If you have a criminal record, it could stop you from getting approved. Serious crimes, like violent offenses or break-ins, often lead to rejection. Even if you have a history of arrests or convictions, you still have rights regarding housing, but you might need to go through extra steps like providing sponsors, references, and personal letters beforehand.

Previous Evictions

Getting denied for a rental application often happens because of past evictions. Landlords can find out about these by calling your old landlords or by checking an eviction report.

Bankruptcy

If you went bankrupt because you lost your job, landlords are usually understanding, especially if you can show bank statements and reference letters. However, you might still be turned down if you can’t prove you’ve improved your credit score since filing for bankruptcy.

Lack Of References

Not having multiple references, or not having any at all, can make landlords suspicious.

Bad Credit

The majority of apartment applications require a minimum 650 credit score. You are likely to either be denied or asked for a cosigner if you have a poor credit history.

Long Gaps In Rental History

Rental history gaps can make some landlords suspicious as tenants can omit information like prior evictions. Long rental gaps where you lived with friends/family or owned a home are perfectly acceptable.

Application Errors

Everyone understands that errors can happen when filling out an application. Misspelled information can be easily corrected as long as it is caught in time. However, if you are intentionally dishonest when filling out the application, you will be disqualified from renting.

Pets

Pet policies are always subject to leasing guidelines and/or the landlord’s preference. The amount of pets and pet sizes may have exceptions.

Overcrowding

It’s possible that some apartment complexes have occupancy limits to prevent overcrowding or damage. Landlords may deny applications if there are more than two adult occupants per room.