“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.