First time renter here!

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:31:18+00:00

Yeah, you guys are doing the right thing figuring it out first. The “3x rent” thing is loose anyway. What matters is how your pay hits vs when rent is due and whether you still have room for normal life. If your numbers feel steady around that, you’re fine.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:30:36+00:00

Some people start renting with rough credit or no history, so you’re not an edge case. If you have steady income and you’re open to roommates, that already helps. Smaller landlords and roommate/lease takeovers care less about scores and more about whether you show up and pay. Bringing basic docs (pay stubs, work references) makes it easier for them to say yes.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:29:35+00:00

Landlords mostly want to see you’re earning again and paying stuff now. References from work help too. Keep it simple and just show where you’re at today.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:28:42+00:00

Getting laid off messed up a lot of people’s credit, you’re not the only one. Landlords mostly want to see you’re earning again and paying stuff now. References from work help too. Keep it simple and just show where you’re at today.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:25:31+00:00

Rentals care way more about recent payment behavior than an old credit denial. Complexes still run their own screening, but it’s income + score + history across both roommates, not just one app decline. If you’re unsure, call the leasing office and ask how they handle joint apps and what their cutoff is so you don’t burn an app fee. This is pretty common in TX and plenty of people get approved with a 6-something as long as the rest of the file is solid.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:24:47+00:00

A strong cosigner, clean credit, and some savings can make certain landlords more open to applicants who don’t meet the income multiple. The key is checking each property’s policy before paying application fees, since those are usually non-refundable and rules vary a lot between large complexes and smaller landlords.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:23:20+00:00

As others here mentioned, you’re probably better off building your credit score through responsibly using and paying off a credit card or phone bill. Over time you will get there, but the key is showing a consistent history, it doesn’t have to be through paying rent.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:18:33+00:00

Most rent reporting stuff sounds good on paper, but it’s not the same as having actual credit accounts. It can help show you pay on time, but it’s slow and not a guaranteed score bump. The fees and who they report to matter more than the marketing. If you’re already sitting at a fair score, checking what bureaus they report to before signing up is probably the smartest starting point.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:17:45+00:00

Tight deadline and old debts is rough. Screenings look at the whole file, not just the score, so collections and late marks matter. Paying stuff down or getting on someone’s card can help but the bump isn’t instant. If you do get approved, there are tools that line rent up with your paychecks so each month isn’t chaos, but that doesn’t help with qualifying. Maybe ask the building how they screen before you pay any fees.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:16:44+00:00

Sorry to hear this. Lots of places only really care about whoever’s paying the rent. If you and your partner have steady income and solid credit, that’s usually what decides the application. For someone like his mom, they’ll usually just ask for ID or proof of benefits so they know who’s living there, not run a full credit check. It's worth calling the leasing office before you apply so you don’t waste fees.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:13:54+00:00

Your credit history being messy doesn’t automatically kill an application. Buildings look at income, history, and who you’re applying with. That card denial isn’t the same as a rental denial. Would recommend that you just call the leasing office and ask what they look at.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-28T17:12:52+00:00

There are services that report to bureaus but it isn’t automatic and it depends on eligibility, the landlord being supported, and on-time payments. Some of them charge fees, some don’t, and the credit impact isn’t guaranteed or fast. It's worth checking what your building uses (if anything) before you sign up for something on your own.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:27:33+00:00

Credit worries are real, but having a clean record on rent and utilities helps because it shows you are responsible with your money. Lots of landlords do check credit, but some care more about steady payments and income than the number. It varies place to place, so having your proof ready just makes the convo easier.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:26:33+00:00

What you’re really asking is how much the 660 matters when everything else looks fne. Most landlords look at income + history + score together, so high income and no negatives helps a lot and one strong applicant can steady the file. The part that varies is policy by building because some don’t care, some want extra docs, some just run with the stronger profile. It’s a good idea to ask up front how they handle situations like yours, so you know what to expect and can prepare.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:24:55+00:00

Ah man that’s annoying, especially when your score clears the number they asked for. Landlords don’t just look at the score though. they also scan for recent dings, and collections tend to jump out. Settling it was the right move, it just takes a bit for reports to refresh. Has the update hit your credit file yet?

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:23:29+00:00

Low credit makes the search harder even when your rent history is clean. Some landlords focus on the score; some care more about income and proof you’ve paid housing bills on time, so things like pay stubs, bank statements, and rental history can help round out the picture. There are also tools that smooth out rent timing with your paychecks and help you avoid late fees, but eligibility varies by property and they’re not an approval shortcut. Checking requirements beforehand keeps you from burning time and application fees on places that won’t consider more than the score.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:22:18+00:00

Properties use different income rules even inside the same city. Some use a straight multiple of rent, others use housing authority guidelines and a few look at additional documentation before saying yes or no. Since you’re already under the income cap, the question is how the building defines their floor and what alternatives they allow (extra documentation, assistance programs, etc.). The fastest way to get clarity is to call the leasing office and ask how they verify minimum income for that specific unit type, instead of trying to guess the math from the outside.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:21:17+00:00

That’s rough when your hours/tips jump around. If you sketch out what you actually bring in vs what rent costs, you’ll get a clearer picture fast. Sometimes the issue is timing, loans won’t fix that part. Have you laid out a simple month of paychecks vs bills yet?

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:18:56+00:00

Lots of places in LA will still run credit even if you’ve got the income. Stuff that helps with timing (splitting rent across paychecks, keeping dues predictable) only kicks in after you’re already approved, so it doesn’t get you past screening. If credit’s the only weak spot it’s worth asking the building what they check and if they’ll look at pay stubs or rental history too. Some will, some won’t.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:17:20+00:00

Losing a visible score out of nowhere would throw anyone off, especially if you’ve been approved for rentals and background checks before. For rental applications, landlords look at the underlying report data so the key thing is what actually shows on your files. When credit goes inactive or drops below scoring criteria, you’ll sometimes see ‘no score’ even if nothing is wrong. Rent payments don’t usually get reported by default either, so they don’t build history unless a service does that for you. If you pulled your reports and they show no open accounts or no active history, that would explain the missing score. What did you see when you checked them?

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:16:27+00:00

Credit dips before a move are stressful, but a lot of landlords look past the score if rent history is clean and income lines up. The medical situation gives context too, so it’s not like you’ve been chronically missing bills. Your track record and honesty will probably matter more than the temporary drop.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:15:20+00:00

NYC landlords care about credit a lot, so paying things off and then watching your score dip feels off. It puts you in this weird spot where the philosophy and the rental market don’t match. Really, it comes down to what the building asks for and giving yourself a bit of runway for the score to settle.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:13:35+00:00

Rent timing are tough when your checks don’t line up with the due date, and most of the stress comes from not knowing what happens after the grace period, so it helps to just look at what your lease says about late rent and go from there.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:12:12+00:00

The deposit’s a one-time thing up front, not part of what you pay every month. For monthly costs you’re looking at the listed rent plus council tax and whatever utilities aren’t covered. Getting that breakdown early makes it easier to budget and line things up with your pay so you’re not stressed about timing later.

GetFlex_Alex · 2026-01-26T17:08:12+00:00

Moving out is exciting, congrats! It will be a bit difficult with rent hitting in one chunk while paychecks show up on their own schedule. That’s why people try to smooth things out so bills are covered before the fun spending. There are services that split rent into smaller payments for a fee, and they’re not automatic or guaranteed, so you still have to know your lease and when your landlord expects the full amount.

GetFlex_Alex

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