The 6 Things Every Student Must Have to Rent Apartments in Hattiesburg

Whether new to campus or ready to get the heck out of student housing, in order to qualify to rent apartments in Hattiesburg there are 5 criteria that every renter must meet. So before you even start thinking about who you want to be your roommate(s) or what part of town you want be located, ensure that you have everything on the below list.

After you meet the basic criteria, submit and subsequently qualify for an application for apartments in Hattiesburg you will then move on to signing a lease. After that, it’s move-in day and 12 months of awesome apartment living! 

You Must Have Proper Identification

A rental lease is a legally binding document and such has strict requirements to identify the individuals listed in the contract for lease. You will be required to provide government-issued identification, a valid, current drivers license or active passport.  A student ID will not replace either of these forms of identification, but most often can be used in conjunction with other government-issued identifications such as social security cards and birth certificates.

You Must Pass a Background Check

No property owner wants someone with a history of criminal or unsavory activity. Not only does this protect the current and future tenants, it also protects the property’s physical and financial health. In order to access this information on potential renters, owners or property managers will run a background check.

It’s important to note that not every smudge on your background will result in application denial. If you stole candy once when you were 12, you will be fine. There are however certain convictions that mean immediate rejection, which include: listing on the national sex offender registry, violent and/or sexual crimes and drug distribution.

You Must Pass a Credit Check

Owners don’t want risky renters, plain and simple. Just as they don’t want a negative criminal history in a potential renter’s past, they don’t want a negative financial one either. Student looking to rent apartments in Hattiesburg need to be able to prove that they have the means and ability to pay rent on time each month.

To assess if they can a landlord or property manager will run a credit check. Here are some things to note regarding credit and qualifying for apartments in Hattiesburg.

If You Are Just Starting to Build Your Credit

Since you are a young student enrolled in school, chances are you may not have built any credit history yet. This isn’t necessarily a deal breaker as long as there aren’t any negative marks on your credit report, but it does matter. Due to a lack in credit history you may have to supplement by requiring a co-signor (see under Bad Credit History below), additional references, or relying solely on the roommates credit history (if applicable)

If You Have Good Credit History

Congratulations and good job!

If You Have Bad Credit History

In the event that you have negative marks on your credit history and are in poor financial standing, an apartment owner or manager will either reject your application or require a co-signer on the rental lease. A co-signor is another person acting on your behalf on the lease who has good credit history and financial standing. By co-signing they take on full legal and financial responsibility for a potential renter.

You Must Have Rental/Landlord References

It’s all about your history, are you catching the drift here? Before they let you live in their property, owners want to know what kind of tenant you are. They only way to find out if you are a tenant in good-standing is by asking your previous landlords.

Were you quiet and paid rent on time, or were you constantly getting complaints and almost evicted? Know this, your past rental history will always come back to haunt you. If you are a first-time renter you will have to provide up to three personal/professional references.

You Must Have Employment History or Proof of Active Enrollment

Owners want to know that you are both stable and have the means to make money for rent. In order to lease apartments in Hattiesburg renters will need to provide current proof of employment as well as recent employment history.

If you are a student currently enrolled in school and do not also work, you will be required to use a co-signor.

You Must Have Verification of How You Can Afford to Pay Rent

As mentioned, the number one thing landlords need to know is if you can pay rent. Both tenants and co-signors need to provide proof that they have the financial means to afford the agreed to amount of rent.  Most apartments in Hattiesburg require that a tenant makes up to 3 times the monthly rent amount.

Acceptable forms of proof of income include:

·      Pay stubs

·      Bank Statements

·      W2 Tax Form

Need Help Finding the Right Apartments in Hattiesburg?

If you have been searching high and low for apartments in Hattiesburg and have come up empty, then contact us at (601) 264-4622 ext. 7 and one of our expert Apartment Hunters will save the day. With over 35 years experience in the Hattiesburg apartments market our team has access to (and knowledge of) the most apartment listings in the area. Simply tell us what you are looking for and we will create a custom list loaded with the options you want. Call today or visit: http://apartmentshattiesburg.com/.