I am planning to rent an apartment (private or government-assisted). What are some general tips for renters?

These tips can help you prepare for the process of renting an apartment, and avoid problems related to background checks!

ORDER YOUR FREE CREDIT REPORT BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR AN APARTMENT. 

The landlord will almost certainly order your credit report before letting you live as a tenant in his/her unit. Even though this Chapter does not go into all of the rules and laws that govern credit check, it’s still important to understand that this is part of what most landlords will be looking at. Before you apply to ANY type of housing, you can order your own credit report to make sure that all the information is accurate and up-to-date. You can order your credit reports free once every 12 months from each of the three national credit bureaus: (1) Experian, (2) TransUnion, and (3) Equifax. To learn more, see the Federal Trade Commission’s information on Free Annual Credit Reports on its website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/freereports/index.shtml (Note: this is a trusted government website about credit reports).

LEARN ABOUT BACKGROUND CHECKS/ TENANT REPORTS. 

Most landlords use "tenant reports” (these are background checks specifically for the purposes of housing and renting apartments) to screen housing applicants. As discussed on PG. 377, these reports can include both credit history and non-credit information such as your criminal record; court cases related to past evictions; references from former landlords; information from local, state and national databases (such as Sex Offender registries); and more. If you learn you that the landlord is going to order a background check/tenant report on you, you could save yourself a lot of time and trouble by simply asking the landlord the name and contact information for the screening company, so that you find the tenant report yourself and make sure the information is accurate and up-to-date.

UNDERSTAND YOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES AS A RENTER. 

If you live in government-assisted housing, a good place to start is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD website about renting in California: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/california/renting.

Carefully review any lease or rental agreement before you sign it. Be sure that any WRITTEN agreements include VERBAL conversations you had with the landlord or property management company—so that those agreements will be legally enforceable later on. As well as general rules about rent payments, utilities, and the time period covered, a lease or rental agreement should cover anything you have discussed together: things like pets, visitors, roommates, or subletting.[1373] If you know there is something in the lease or agreement that limits your basic legal rights, bring that up with the landlord. In California, the Department of Consumer Affairs has published a great guidebook on tenants’ rights available online at: http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/catenant.pdf.

  1. 1373

    See, e.g., Cal. Civ. Code § 1961 ̵ 2. ↑