Renter Tips
15 articles
How to Break a Lease Without Losing Your Deposit
Breaking a lease does not have to cost you your security deposit. Here is how to read your options, use your legal prote…
What Utilities Actually Cost in an Apartment (and How to Budget Them)
Rent is only half your housing cost. Here is what electricity, gas, water, trash, and internet really run in an apartmen…
An Evicted Utah Tenant Is Charged With Listing Her Landlord's Home for Rent in Retaliation
Police say a Utah woman got revenge on the manager who evicted her by posting the manager's home for rent online. The ca…
Rent Increase Laws by State: How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent?
There is no federal limit on rent increases, and rules differ sharply from one state to the next. Here is a clear, high-…
Police Say a Jacksonville Woman Earned Thousands by Renting Out Homes She Didn't Own. How to Avoid Fake-Landlord Scams.
Police arrested a Jacksonville woman they say ran a years-long Facebook Marketplace scam, posing as a landlord for homes…
A Facebook Marketplace Rental Scam Left a Mableton Mom Displaced. Here Is How to Protect Yourself.
A Georgia mother paid rent and a deposit to a fake landlord who had copied a real for-sale listing. The scam is common, …
How to Spot a Rental Scam Before You Lose a Deposit
A rental deal far below market is the loudest scam warning there is. Here is how to spot fake listings and verify a land…
Does Renters Insurance Cover Water Damage, Leaks, and Floods?
Water is the most confusing thing in a renters policy. A burst pipe is usually covered. A flood almost never is. Here is…
Seattle's Mayor Wants to Ban Rental 'Junk Fees'
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has proposed banning surprise rental fees, listing the charges landlords may collect and proh…
How to Rent an Apartment Out of State Without Seeing It First
Renting sight-unseen across state lines is doable when you research like a pro, run a live video walkthrough, verify the…
Congress Targets ‘Rent Now, Pay Later’ Services
A Florida congressman is pressing federal regulators to investigate the fast-growing 'rent now, pay later' industry, war…
How to Rent an Apartment With Bad Credit (Under 600)
A credit score under 600 makes renting harder, not impossible. Here are the moves that actually get landlords to say yes…
The Rent Rule of Thumb: How Much Should You Actually Spend on Rent?
The 30 percent rule and the 50/30/20 budget are the two rules of thumb everyone quotes for rent. Here is what each one r…
Do You Need a Cosigner or Guarantor to Rent an Apartment?
A cosigner or guarantor can get you approved when your income or credit falls short, but the two are not the same thing,…
What Credit Score Do You Need to Rent an Apartment?
Most landlords look for a credit score around 620 to 650, but there is no legal minimum and plenty of ways to get approv…