Finding a Place to Rent
What it is
Section titled “What it is”Applying for a rental, reading a lease, turning on utilities, and knowing your rights as a renter.
Why it helps you
Section titled “Why it helps you”A home of your own is a base for everything else. Knowing the rules keeps you from being taken advantage of.
Good to have first
Section titled “Good to have first”A Bank Account, Credit and Debt.
This opens up
Section titled “This opens up”A stable place to build the rest of your life.
Where to get help
Section titled “Where to get help”Get free advice before you sign
Section titled “Get free advice before you sign”HUD-approved housing counselors Trained counselors help you plan what rent you can afford, read a lease, and spot bad deals. They help renters, not just home buyers.
- Cost: Free or low cost. Ask about fees when you call.
- Who can use it: Anyone.
- How to start: Call 1-800-569-4287 and ask for a housing counselor near you. You can also search by ZIP code at the CFPB counselor finder.
- Good to know: The phone line has help in many languages. TTY: 202-708-1455. You can say, “I’m renting for the first time and I have no credit. Can you help me?”
SettleIn housing guides Simple guides to how renting works in the US: leases, deposits, and monthly bills. It is made for people new to the country, but it helps anyone new to renting.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone. Written for newcomers to the US.
- How to start: Open the guide and read the “Housing” section. Use the chat button if you want to ask a person.
- Good to know: Run by the International Rescue Committee. Chat help is offered in many languages. There is also a free app.
Know your rights as a renter
Section titled “Know your rights as a renter”Renter laws are different in each state, and sometimes each city. These tools point you to the rules where you live.
LawHelp.org Free, plain guides on renter rights, plus a list of free legal aid offices in your state.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone can read the guides. The legal aid offices mostly help people with low incomes.
- How to start: Pick your state from the list or map. Look for “Housing” or “Landlord and tenant.”
- Good to know: You need internet. Local legal aid offices can also tell you about tenant groups in your area.
Find free legal aid near you A map of free legal aid offices paid for by the Legal Services Corporation. These lawyers help with evictions, unsafe homes, and deposits.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: People with low incomes. Each office sets its own rules.
- How to start: Type in your address or city. Call the office that comes up.
- Good to know: If you get an eviction paper or a court date, call right away. Don’t wait.
Report housing discrimination to HUD In most cases, it is against federal law to refuse to rent to you because of your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or because you have children.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone who was treated unfairly when trying to rent.
- How to start: Call 1-800-669-9777 or report online. Say what happened, when, and who was involved.
- Good to know: There are time limits, so report soon. It is also illegal for a landlord to punish you for reporting.
If a background check turns you down
Section titled “If a background check turns you down”CFPB: Review your rental background check Landlords often buy a report about you. These reports can have mistakes, like someone else’s record mixed with yours. This page shows you how to get it fixed.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone turned down, or charged more, because of a background check.
- How to start: If a landlord turns you down because of a report, they must tell you which company made it. Ask that company for a free copy within 60 days. If something is wrong, tell the company in writing.
- Good to know: If they won’t fix it, you can file a complaint with the CFPB at 1-855-411-2372.
Help with bills and money to move in
Section titled “Help with bills and money to move in”Help with heating and cooling bills (LIHEAP) LIHEAP is a government program that can pay part of your energy bill. This free line tells you where to apply in your area.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: People with low incomes. Each state sets its own rules.
- How to start: Call 1-866-674-6327. Or email energyassistance@ncat.org with your city, county, and state.
- Good to know: When you apply, you will likely need ID and proof of income.
211 A free, private phone line that connects you to local help, like rent help, deposit help, and utility help.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone.
- How to start: Dial 2-1-1. You can say, “I’m trying to move into my first apartment. Is there help with a deposit or first month’s rent?”
- Good to know: 211 is run by local centers, so hours and programs depend on where you live.
If you only do one thing first
Section titled “If you only do one thing first”Before you pay any fee or sign anything, call a free housing counselor at 1-800-569-4287. If you have no credit or no rental history, that is common, and it is not a dead end. A counselor can help you plan a budget and find landlords who will work with you. They can also tell you about renter classes near you. Some people bring proof of income, a letter from an employer or caseworker, or a co-signer (someone who agrees to pay if you can’t).
Watch out for
Section titled “Watch out for”- Paying for a place you haven’t seen. Scammers copy real listings and say they are “out of the country.” Never pay or sign until you have been inside the home and met the landlord.
- Wire transfers, gift cards, or crypto. A real landlord will not ask for a deposit this way. Once that money is sent, you can’t get it back. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Rent that is much lower than other places nearby. A deal that seems too good, plus pressure to decide today, is a classic scam. Search the address online. If it shows up “for sale” or under another name, walk away.
- Giving your Social Security number too early. Scammers ask for it before you’ve seen the place. Share it only with a real landlord after you’ve toured and are ready to apply.
- Paying lots of application fees. Fees are usually not refunded. Before you pay, ask the landlord what they need to approve you, like income or credit.
- Promises that aren’t in the lease. If the landlord says “I’ll fix that,” ask them to write it into the lease before you sign. On move-in day, take photos of any damage and send them to the landlord. This helps you get your deposit back.
- Being locked out or having your power cut off. In general, a landlord has to go through the courts to make you leave. If you are locked out or your utilities are cut off, call legal aid right away.