Many people are unaware they have bad credit until they are faced with it head on. Renting an apartment is one of those situations where it can be a challenge if you have bad credit. Many landlords will check your credit report before they rent you an apartment and most will deny you if your credit is less than good. But all hope is not lost. There are ways to rent an apartment if you have bad credit.
Look for apartments that are lenient when it comes to your credit report or that do not check your credit at all. Look in your local newspaper under the classified section and see which one does a credit check. You can try and obtain letters of recommendation from your bank, attorney or previous landlords that can attest to your credibility. They may be able to provide insight to a potential landlord as to why your credit history is so poor.
Ask a family member that has stellar credit to be a co-signer for you. It is important for you and your family member to understand that by them being a co-signer means that if you fail to pay your rent, they are then responsible. You certainly do not want to do anything that will cause their credit to be tainted.
If you have some time before you need to look for an apartment, you may want to improve your credit rating before looking for an apartment. Pay off any unpaid debts that show on your credit report.