Finding an apartment or house after bankruptcy Chapter 7

[ellis2156]

How hard is it to find an apartment or new home after a bankruptcy Chapter 7 closing? When looking should I mention the bankruptcy or just keep it quiet unless the landlord asks about it? Also, should I wait a year or more? I am currently staying and paying.

[frogger]

Should not be too difficult. If you have problems with the large communities, try the smaller ones. They tend to be more bk friendly.

[Drazil65]

Hi, we were discharged in March 2012 and moved into a rental unit the end of October 2012. We are in a small townhouse community (about 40 units total) and after the landlord verified our employment with our employers that was it. Not even a credit check, she said the employment verification was good enough. If she had wanted to run the credit report then we would have said something up front about the chapter 7 but it never came up.

We only looked at private landlord situations not big apartment complexes but I have heard that some of the big complexes will make you pay a larger deposit if bad credit or bankruptcy shows up in some cases. Stick with smaller situations and you might not have to deal with it. Good Luck!

[ksgirl38]

I wouldn't volunteer the information. If it's on an application then be honest about it, but otherwise it's pretty much a non issue. Recently I bought a new car and marked the bankruptcy option on the credit application and I don't think they even noticed. Of course this was the same dealership I bought from before and my credit score was just a few points below tier 1 so it may not have mattered to them.

[bcohen]

Unless there is no cost to apply for the rental, I suggest that you tell the property manager/leasing agent very bluntly that you filed for bankruptcy, and specifically ask if the previous bankruptcy is going to be a problem. If the answer is yes, then why waste money on the application fee? If you keep the BK a secret and apply, then you might be denied, and have wasted $60 or more on non-refundable fees.

I filed for BK this year, and I plan on getting a larger apartment next year. I will see if I can get an apartment at a different complex owned by the same company without having to pass a credit check again, since I have lived here now for 6+ years. If not, or if the asking rents are too high, then I plan to look at other apartment complexes, and of course I will ask upfront if the BK is going to be a problem, and if the answer is "yes" then I won't waste time or money applying.

[ksgirl38]

I filed for BK this year, and I plan on getting a larger apartment next year. I will see if I can get an apartment at a different complex owned by the same company without having to pass a credit check again, since I have lived here now for 6+ years. If not, or if the asking rents are too high, then I plan to look at other apartment complexes, and of course I will ask upfront if the BK is going to be a problem, and if the answer is "yes" then I won't waste time or money applying.

You might just look into the option of transferring to one of their other properties. My apartment complex offers this option and has several other properties throughout the metro. I was up for a job in a different part of the city and they told me I could do this rather than breaking a lease if I wanted.

[AngelinaCat]

I am actually torn on how to answer this question.

If you are renting from an Individual, I would be honest and tell the potential landlord what your situation is and how it happened. Bring with you a work and payment history, and a recommendation from the former Landlord if any.

We have a tenant and her deadbeat live-in that we did not properly vet, before we allowed them on the property. We learned of them on Craig's List. I don't like them, and I don't want HIM here at all. But the woman is more acceptable.

If we ever do this again, I will demand a five-year work history (they are the laziest creatures, especially HIM) and I want a five year list of their domiciles. (They don't stay anywhere more than about 6 months, because no one else can stand HIS mouth. The last week of next month, will make it a year with us. *ARRGH!!* *damn* and *phooey*!!)

[ellis2156]

Thank you all for your advice! I have learned alot!

[jst4f]

It was our experience that having a dog caused us more problems than BK in renting a house. If the application asked about BK then be truthful. Sort of a don't ask, don't tell.