Eviction records, broken leases, financial woes – those are the things every leaser wants to avoid because they can be the very reasons that can put you at risk of not finding a new home. Landlords always want to make sure that the tenants they’ll be taking in would be able to not only take care of the property but also be able to pay rent. Any sign of negative rental history in your records can be seen as a risk of you not being able to pay rent even if your financial situation has changed. Fortunately, this is exactly what second chance apartments are for. Here’s everything you need to know about second chance leasing.

What Is A Second Chance Apartment?

Second chance apartments are simply what they sound like. They offer people who have had negative rental histories a “second chance” at leasing an apartment. You’re a likely candidate if you fit in any of the following criteria:

• You broke a lease with no good cause

• You moved out without notice

• You have been evicted

• You have failed to pay rent on time consistently

• You owe back rent

• You have a lack of credit

• You have negative credit marks

• You have had criminal convictions

Any one of those can make it quite difficult to find a new apartment. Even if you move to another state, your financial issues or rental history will continue to follow you. That’s why it’s important that you resolve any issues you might have had with past landlords. Work out a payment plan or negotiate on an amount or way that you can pay back the money you owe. While trying to get that cleared, a second chance apartment would be a great place to stay in which also allows you to build your credit and improve your rental history.

Is It The Same As Section 8 Housing?

No. Second chance apartments are considered affordable apartments for people whose finances or circumstances might not permit them to rent the usual apartment. They don’t require vouchers and landlords would still require credit and background checks. Even if you have a negative rental history or a criminal record (does not include a felony charge), your application won’t immediately be rejected and it’s up to landlords to determine your overall risk.

What Do You Need To Qualify For Second Chance Apartments?

Each landlord or community will have different policies. Some may only accept a broken lease or one eviction but not both. Some may have more leeway if you have established a recent good rental history. As for criminal convictions, some places may have certain passing time requirements since the completion of their sentence. 

Just because it’s a second chance apartment that doesn’t mean that they will accept your application so openly despite your background. You will still have to go through credit and background checks. For the requirements, you’re encouraged to have everything you’d need in applying for a normal apartment including proof of income, proof of employment, and proof of credit history or proof that debts had been settled.

Some landlords or some companies may even require things like paperwork from the court that your eviction has been dismissed or proof that you are in the process of handling payments or debts. You might also even be required to pay a higher security deposit or show a payment plan for them to ensure that they’re covered. 

There are also things that can get your application disqualified like providing false information, a felony charge, or too many recent negative marks on your record. 

Remember, your landlord still wants to make sure that you will be reliable enough despite your history.

How Can You Qualify For A Second Chance Apartment?

One of the most important things for you to be able to qualify for a second chance apartment is to be honest in your application. For instance, if you weren’t able to pay rent consecutively, explain why. Those details could help your prospective landlord determine your tenancy history. It’s also a good idea to be ready with documents supporting why you’re a second chance apartment renter. And, of course, don’t forget to follow the instructions in the lease application properly. To make sure you don’t miss anything, contact your local second chance apartment company and ask how you can apply and what you’ll be needing.

How To Find a Second Chance Apartment?

For one, you can call around apartment communities and ask if they have a second chance apartment or you can simply call an experienced apartment locator like Uptown Locators. You won’t need to get into the nitty-gritty details of why you’re looking for one. You simply have to give them the facts they need to find you one. After all, it’s not them who’ll be approving your application. And while they can’t guarantee that a landlord will accept your application, they can provide a good list of places that have policies on second chance leasing. With this, you can concentrate your efforts on those places instead of wasting your time calling every apartment community in the area.