How to Pass an Apartment Background Check

In this article:

• What do to before your background check
• The necessary documents
• Conduct your own background check
• Address issues in your background check
• Talk to your potential landlord
• Pay background check fees
• What to do after your background check
• What to do if your background check fails
• Review your background check report
• Ask the landlord why you were rejected

When you’re applying for a new apartment, you’ll likely be subject to a background check. Independent landlords to larger apartment communities use this process to ensure they’re selecting reliable tenants who will respect their property and pay rent on time. So it’s safe to say you want to pass your background check.

Here’s how to do it:

Before your background check

Yes, you can take steps before your background check to ensure you get some good results, like by having all your documents ready, and anticipating what your potential landlord may find. Note that a background check involves more than document-based information; your landlord may also request personal references or contact information for your current employer.

What a background check typically includes:

• Your full name and identity verification
• Your previous address(es)
• Your credit score and credit history
• Current proof of income
• Any evictions or late/missed rent
• Any bankruptcies
• Any criminal convictions

Gather all the necessary documents

To initiate your background check, you’ll need to provide your landlord with some documents and references. They’ll then pass that information along to a third-party company who will use that information to find your credit and rental history, among other things.

If you don’t have the following documents ready, your application may be considered incomplete, which could remove you from consideration for that rental you’ve been keeping your eye on.

Documents to prepare for a background check:

• A form of identification (like a driver’s license)
• Your social security number or card
• Proof of income (like pay stubs or a W-2)
• Previous address
• Rental history references (contact information for your last landlord)

Conduct your own background check

You can perform your own background check before you even start applying for apartments. This can help you identify any inaccuracies or discrepancies that might arise (more on that below). Plus, this self-check can give you peace of mind and a better understanding of what a landlord will see. Some consumer reporting agencies allow you to request a background check on yourself. 

Address issues in your background check

If you know your background check will reveal some concerning information, that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get approved for an apartment. There are various reasons why a landlord may deny your application based on your background check, and there are a number of ways you can remedy them ahead of time. 

Potential red flags in a background check:

• Having a low credit score
• Having a previous eviction or missed rent payment
• Having a criminal conviction
• Not having recent proof of income

For example, if you’ve had a past eviction, collect references from other landlords where you maintained a good rental history. You should also be upfront about the circumstances, especially if they were beyond your control. Strengthen your application by showing proof of current stability like steady employment, savings, or documentation of consistent rent payments since then.

Alternatively, you could plan to offer a larger deposit on your new apartment, or find a co-signer for your lease.

Another example: If your credit score is too low for your liking (a score lower than 600 can be a red flag for some landlords), make sure your credit report is accurate. If you dispute any errors and it turns out you were right, your credit score may improve depending on the nature of the changes. There are some other ways you can increase your score — though it might take some time. Good thing you’re doing this before your background check.

Pro tip: If you don’t want to conduct a whole background check, you can get your credit report for free.

Talk to your potential landlord

If you have a prior criminal conviction, you may be able to explain what happened and how you’ve changed, especially if it happened several years ago. You could attach a note about this to your application and offer some personal references to back up your character.

Know your rights: Some cities and states have passed laws focused on helping renters with criminal convictions get approved for housing. These laws limit how or when landlords can consider criminal history in rental decisions. Check your local housing authority for details.

If you know the landlord will see some missed rent payments from a time when you were struggling financially, you can explain that you were having a hard time, then share your latest bank statement to show that you’re financially stable now.

Pay background check fees

Just before your potential landlord runs your background check, you’ll probably have to pay for it. The price is typically rolled into a property’s application fee. These fees are up to the landlord, so they can range widely, from $20 to upwards of $100. Some states, however, set limits on how much can be charged. 

You could save yourself some money on those fees by applying for rentals through Zillow. When you use Zillow® Rentals, you can apply to as many participating properties as you want for 30 days, for just $35. That’s opposed to paying an application fee at every apartment you’re interested in.

After your background check

Background checks could take as little as a day, or as long as a week, depending on the company the landlord is using, among other things. Your landlord will reach out once they have the results to let you know how it turned out.

If your check comes back looking great (or at least good enough), you can move on to the next steps of the application process. But if there are issues that caused your check to fail, don’t lose hope. You can take action to salvage the situation.

What to do if your background check fails

Failing a background check isn’t ideal, but you might be able to prove that you’re a trustworthy tenant anyway. The steps we listed above (the things to do before your background check) also apply if you fail. Fix any issues and talk to your potential landlord. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also has some tips on what you can do next.

Review your background check report

When your landlord rejects you based on your background check, you’re required to receive a detailed report explaining their reasoning — often referred to as an “adverse action notice.” This report will provide specific details about any red flags that were raised. Then you can focus on turning those red flags green, or talking to your potential landlord on how to move forward.

Ask the landlord why you were rejected

Understanding the reason why you didn’t pass your background check is essential. Once you know what went wrong, you can get to work to address it.

The first thing to do is ask the landlord why your check didn’t satisfy the. Then maybe you can have a conversation and clear things up. But if you feel like their reasoning may not be so much about the results of your background check as it is about who you are (i.e. your race, gender, sexuality), you can report that landlord to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Just make sure you gather proof of any possible discrimination before taking that step.

Passing a background check is largely up to your past self. Did you pay your rent on time at your last rental? Do you have a good credit history? These things can determine whether you pass or fail your check, and whether you get approved for the apartment you want. Start preparing for a background check as soon as you start thinking of finding a new place to live. And when you are ready for the rental search, you can find all kinds of homes on Zillow.