Why Your Apartment Application Got Denied — And How You Can Fix It (2024)

Being denied for an apartment is disappointing, but don’t bediscouraged. Just because you weren’t approved for one apartment doesn’tmean you’ll never be able to rent successfully. Diagnosing the problemwith your application is the first step to fixing it — but, keep inmind, the application process is subjective, and an issue that may be adealbreaker for one landlord may be a nonissue for another.

Also, because of fair housing laws, a landlord cannot deny your rentalapplication due to your: race, religion, nationality, gender identity,familial or marital status, age, sexual orientation, disability, orparticipation in the Section 8 program.

And if you're worried about your credit score after you get denied for an apartment — don't. A rental application denial should not show up on your credit report, and most landlords will only look at a "soft pull" (or soft inquiry) of your credit, which does not affect your score.

Below we outline some of the common reasons why a rental application maybe denied, and how you can fix them.

You don’t meet the income or credit score requirements for a property.

There’s a lot that goes into being a good tenant, but being able to payyour rent on time may be one of the most important. This is why manylandlords prefer tenants who make at least three times the price of rentin gross income — and in some markets, like New York City, you may evenbe asked to make at least 40 times therent. Thesame goes for your credit score. A good credit score — which is in therange of 670 to 739— indicates that you are responsible with money, make payments on time, and do not have significant debt that you are unable to pay off. Most landlords will run a credit check while reviewing your application, anda low credit score may come across as a red flag. If you do have a lowcredit score, it’s not the end of the world — but you may have tocompensate for it in other areas of your application:

• One option is to write a cover letter that explains why you have alower credit score as well as what you are actively doing to raiseit.
• Another way you can reassure your landlord is by providing proof ofan income that is at least three times the monthly rent.
• You can also offer to pay more money upfront (in the form of alarger security deposit or a few month’s rent upfront) to show yourlandlord that you are serious about paying the rent.

If both your income and your credit score are on the lower end of thespectrum, you can apply to an apartment with a roommate. If yourroommate has a good credit score, they may be comfortable cosigning yourlease — meaning that they are agreeing to pay the rent in the case thatyou are not able to. Aguarantorcan do the same for you, with the difference being that they would notinhabit the apartment with you like a roommate.

You do not have a strong rental history.

A potential landlord wants to hear that a future tenant has a history ofbeing responsible, clean, quiet, and punctual with rent. If you are newto renting and don’t have a former landlord whom you could provide as areference, or if you have had prior issues with landlords or evictions,it could seriously hurt your chances of being approved for an apartment.There’s a few ways you can improve your references:

• Ask a mentor to provide a character reference or ask an employer orcoworker to be your reference. Both can vouch for you as a person,and the latter can attest to your income and responsible nature.
• If your former landlord has provided a bad phone reference that hasstopped you from getting approved for an apartment, reach out tothem and try to clear the air. If they are willing, ask them toprovide a signed letter of reference instead of a phone call.
• If you believe a former landlord has given a negative reference thatisn’t accurate, you can try to find documentation that proves whatthey said is not true.

If you take the above steps and it still isn’t enough, your potentiallandlord may be willing to rent to you still if you offer more rentalpayments upfront or a larger security deposit. This is another situationwhere you may also want to include a cover letter explaining why youdon’t have a strong rental history with your application.

You did not fill out the application completely or correctly.

Your application is your first impression on your potential landlord,and it’s important to be diligent while you’re filling it out. Readevery line carefully — and don’t leave any field blank, which may causea property owner to deny an application automatically. (In some states,a landlord is not allowed to require you to give your social securitynumber for an application, so check your local laws if you do not feelcomfortable filling this part out.) To ensure your application isconsidered, try doing the following:

• Use formal language and correct grammar while filling out yourapplication, and spell check it once you are finished.
• Fill out every field and be honest if the application asks you ifyou have pets or any special requirements.
• Provide details about co-applicants, like your spouse or roommate,as well as contact information. A phone number should suffice. Notonly will a potential landlord want to know who will be living intheir unit, but they can also use a co-applicant as a second pointof contact if you are unavailable at a given moment.
• Follow up with the landlord or property management company — or yourreal estate professional, if you worked with one — within 48 hoursof submitting your application.

You did not provide proper documentation.

When you’re applying to an apartment, you need to be able to prove thateverything you are saying about yourself is true. This is wheredocuments like paystubs or a bank statement come in handy, as well asreferences. Make it easy for a potential landlord to choose you as atenant:

• Provide clear copies of all of your documents that will be easy forthem to read and verify. If they ask for virtual copies, provide aPDF or a scan of a document instead of a photo. Many smartphones nowhave “scan” features that will pull a clear image of a document thatyou can convert into a PDF, using just the camera.
• If they ask for an employment history, provide a detailed list offormer employers as well as contact information.
• When they ask for references, give three or four instead of thestandard two — and make sure that whoever you gave contactinformation for knows they are your reference and are prepared tospeak promptly on your behalf.

Honesty is key on a rental application. If you cannot back up a claimwith documentation, then a potential landlord may get a sour taste intheir mouth from your application.

You didn’t submit the application fast enough.

Unfortunately, in some rental markets, you may be competing with a dozenor more applicants for an apartment. Do your research on your rental market. If it is extra competitive, then don’t wait to fill out yourapplication. To heighten your chances of getting accepted for anapartment, come with everything you need in tow, including proof of income, photo identification, letters of reference or a list of references and their contact information, a check for an application fee (if they are allowed in your state), and a cover letter. You should also be prepared to give your employment history and a detailed rental history.

Offering a move-in date in the near future could be another remedy forthose struggling to rent in a competitive market.

If you get denied for an apartment, can you apply again?

So, now that you know why you may have been denied for an apartment, you may be wondering whether you can reapply to the same apartment again. The answer is: It depends. If you were denied because of timing — meaning another tenant simply got their application materials submitted to the landlord faster — then there is no reason you shouldn't reapply to the same property when another unit opens up. However, if you were denied because you do not meet the income requirements and the landlord was not flexible about that criteria, then reapplying may not be the best use of time.

The Bottom Line

First and foremost, when you are filling out a rental application, makesure you read all of the fine print carefully and don’t miss any required fields. It can take some renters a few tries to get approved for an apartment — especially if they have a low credit score, a limited rental history, or live in a very competitive market. There are manyways to strengthen your rental application, and a good cover letter goesa long way when it comes to setting you apart from other applicants. Useit as an opportunity to explain any issues you fear you may have withyour application or background check. A high monthly income can alsocompensate for other parts of your application, such as a poor creditscore. If you believe you are being discriminated against in your searchfor an apartment, consider reaching out for legal advice as the FairHousing Act prohibits housing discrimination against protected groups.