“Dear Steve,
I’m working full time, am having trouble paying everything. I have to borrow from one credit card to pay all my bills, including other credit cards.
I owe almost $30,000. in credit card debt. If I file for bankruptcy, will I ever be able to rent again? Landlords always seem to check credit reports.
Jan”
The Answer:
Dear Jan,
It is true that the commercial apartment complexes do pay more attention to a credit report but there are some ways around this.
I had a client in the past that went bankrupt, and because he went bankrupt he was able to save up twice the security deposit normally requested. I asked him to approach the apartment complex, be up front and honest about his bankruptcy and offer two months rent as a security deposit, they agreed.
I’ve also had other people that were not able to get approved at a local complex but instead turend to a private landlord without any problems at all.
While a recent bankruptcy may make the process of renting more cumbersome, it usually does not prevent you from finding a place to rent.
