Low Credit and Leasing an Apartment?

Hey there! I have a really low credit score :-( (car payment... one credit card... and a few late payments...) I'm a college student (getting ready to start law school), and getting ready to apply for an apartment. How important is my credit score in determining my eligibility if I've never rented an apartment or had a house payment before?

Public Comments

1. Most places aren't going to pay that much attention to your score...They'll be looking to see if you ever skated on a lease before or something like that....If you rent in the area where you'll be going to school at then I'm betting they're used to dealing with poor law students.
2. As long as your gross income per month is 3-4x the rent you should be able to get the lease without the stellar credit.
3. Like stated above, the SCORE isn't necessarily important. They just want to be sure you haven't skipped out on any loans in the past. If you have something that went to collections, or a charged off, or filed suit on, that could hurt you. If you have rented before, get your previous landlord to write a letter of recommendation for you. And if you need to, get your parents to co-sign with you. Good luck!