In today's rental market good credit has become as important for renting a home as for purchasing a home

While professional property managers have always looked at an applicant's credit scores, before the recent rash of forclosures, most individual landlords who self-manage their own property did not.   Times have changed. Today, almost all individual landlords run a credit report before entering into a lease with a new resident.   If your credit is less than perfect, it is best to be upfront with the individual landlord or property management company about any potential credit score problems. Do not be discouraged.  Remember, that landlords usually look at the complete application, including references, when making their determination. You may discover that your credit is not below the credit cut off line for that landlord or that your score can be mitagated with advance rent payments. 

Property Management Companies often use an outside resident screening service that provides the property management company with an acept/reject score.  This services provides credit reports from major reporting agencies, an eviction search, employment verification, criminal background search and other information.  In this case the application would need to be run through the application process to determin if their application is within the acept range.

The Top Seven Ways To Protect Your FICO Score

Your credit history is important and credit scores are important if you want to get the best interest rates or are looking to rent or buy a home in the near future.  Protect your FICO score:  1.) Do not open new revolving accounts needlessly. 2.) Do not fill out credit applications needlessly. 3.) Do not keep your credit cards nearly maxed out. 5.) Make sure you do use your credit occasionally. 6.) Always make sure every creditor has their payment in their office no later than 29 days past due. 7.) Never, ever be more than thirty days late on your mortgage or rent--ever!