HOMELESS! ANY ADVICE IS APPRECIATED!

[BAB]

Good Day All!

Hopefully, i can get some valuable help here. I reside in Southern Louisiana. I have been searching for an apartment for about 3 months now with no luck. I applied for two seperate units during this time and was turned down from both renters. All because of my credit report. I have rented apartment units for about 8 years straight with no evictions or complications. This is my first time facing being homeless and no where to live. Im currently living between relatives with no stable home. Basically, all of my belonging are in my car.

I pulled my credit report to see if i can began fixing some negative lines. I have about 17 lines that are unpaid medical collections that I cant afford to pay at the moment. I have a federal student loan, an old utility bill that i paid off in Dec 08, and a cell phone that my sister applied for without my knowledge. I also have an previous apartment complex where I owe $300 for maid service and carpet cleaning. I would have paid this before it went to collections, but the complex did not have a forward address to send me a bill so they sent it to a CA. My credit score is like in the lower 500 range.   

I read online about a Corporate Leasing Company that leases the apartment for you in their name and you will be listed as an occupant. I thought about doing this, but i dont wanna get screwed.

I have been searching for months for a place to live. If i had a way to room with someone until i can raise my score, i will. I have no other options. I have mailed the utility company a GW letter since i paid them off. And i mailed the CA from the apartment a PFD letter. I havent heard from either. Its been about 3 weeks now. I just need a little advice and guidance on how can i go about finding an apartment. Im not big on forums, but im calling for help, because i need it. Thanks guys for your time.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you should seek a roomate situation where someone who has a lease wants to share their apartment.  The other option is to seek out opportunities to rent from landlords who do not use a leasing agent or commercial property management firm.  When my credit was bad, I managed to rent three houses without anyone checking my credit.  When anyone mentioned credit, I just fessed up and gave them an idea of what they would find.  No one ever pulled a credit report.  If my score mattered, they would just tell me not to apply.  Saved a few hundred dollars in applications fees as a result.

[Anonymous]

If you have an unpaid collection with a previous landlord, you are going to have a real problem finding a place to rent if they pull credit.  Just like an auto lender will overlook alot as long as there are no negative auto financing marks on your credit, a landlord will pay particular attention to that detail.  The best way is to either find someone who will not run credit or be upfront upon applying and then be willing to pay more for deposit (and let them know this)

[BAB]

I have tried to find a room mate, but i have no luck. I have looked on craigslist, local newspapers, different postings. But nothing. If i could get into a house, I will go that route. But I cannot afford it. Houses here are limited. The cheapest that i can get is like 650/mo without utilities. I found a few apts that are well below this price. I guess i was just hoping for a few PFD miracles.

[BAB]

Hello Mickie,

I have an unpaid collection with a landlord from 2 years ago. I fulfilled my lease and never had any evictions filed. When i moved, they said that they had to charge me for minor maid services. I didnt know that i was charged until i pulled my credit report and i called them about it. I have the money, $300 to pay them today. I have mailed them a PFD letter about 3 weeks ago, i still havent heard anything. But, i do know this handy man who works for the complex that i want to move in. So i dont know if he can help me or not. I have the money and is willing to pay off the prior apt complex. I dont know should i call them up and negotiate or just communicate through the mail. Im just really in a tight spot here. 

[Brusilov]

If it is an option you may want to try offering 1-2 months rent in advance as a credit towards your last 1-2 months there?  Also, from a non-credit score perspective, what is your monthly salary compared to the monthly rent you are seeking?

If you hadn't had much luck with craigslist you can also google other roommate finders.  Rent.com used to have this capability but unfortunately it was discontinued.

Another option would be to try to find a private renter that may or may not pull credit reports.  Depending on the person they may be more flexible than large-scale rental offices about negociating with you even after seeing your credit score.

[Anonymous]

the utility and the apartment baddies are killing you.  no offense but those are things i look for and refuse to rent to anyone with those problems, paid or not.

keep trying with the GWs and good luck

also, i keep seeing this around these forums that private landlords may be more lax on checking credit reports.  i know not one single private landlord that doesn't check credit and usually charges the prospective renter the fee for the credit check.  if you do find a landlord that doesn't check you are better off living in your car.  if anyone ever heeds any advice i ever give DO NOT under any circumstances rent from a landlord that doesn't do credit checks.  they don't care about their buildings or tenants.  you WILL be living in dangerous conditions probably next to criminals.  they don't skimp on the credit checks because they are sweet and trusting, it's because they are slum lords.  period.

[Anonymous]

I am really so very sorry you're going through this! We'll be praying for you in Casa De Wonderin!

This might be more of a worst-comes-to-worst suggestion, but have you tried your local HUD office? HUD often offers assistance programs that might help. Subsidized apartments are often a BIG help -- and credit issues aren't as scrutinized.

My MIL lives in a subsidized apartment -- it's in (honestly) a luxury apartment complex, with the rent for her apartment (off-subsidy) being about $1400 -- because of the subsidy, her rent is literally $350.

You might make too much to be able to work with the subsidized program, but I'll betcha oodles, that they'll know someone reliable that will be okay with your credit situation!

Best, best, best of luck to you! Please keep us posted!!

[llecs]

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Wonderin wrote:
My MIL lives in a subsidized apartment -- it's in (honestly) a luxury apartment complex, with the rent for her apartment (off-subsidy) being about $1400 -- because of the subsidy, her rent is literally $350.

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I'm ready to move Wonderin! That's a great deal.

[Anonymous]

that is a great deal, but extremely rare. 

first i would get that landlord paid and have him delete that baddie.  once that's done it will be much easier to get a nice, decent, safe place to live.

i'd hate for this poor person to be stuck in a situation where their car is getting broken into every month, they get carbon monoxide poisoning or is forced to live roaches and rats.

it's sad but that situation occurs far more than the other.  it's so hard to get landlords to be held accountable for their own buildings and conversely i've heard far to many horror stories from landlords who rent to section 8 tenants.  seriously, you dont want some of those people as neighbors.  it's horrible.

not that it's impossible to find a good deal like wonderins MIL, i'd just go with caution.  besides, getting that baddie off is something that should be worked on anyway