Keep lease judgments off credit history
Keep lease judgments off credit history – I have seen many cases on my office of consumers with judgments on their credit reports due to early termination of a lease. In many cases the lease was walked out on due to a hostile living environment. Whatever the case, there are things to get this mark removed from your credit history.
Now remember, if you have judgment on your credit report or early lease termination, go back to the property knock on your door and state you had lived in the same residency and you were wondering when the next tenet moved in. One of our clients did this and found out the next tenant had moved in two weeks after they moved out. Because of this situation you can get the judgment dismissed and only pay for the time the residency was empty. Note: A landlord cannot charge twice for the same rent.
Of course, one of the best ways to avoid this kind of situation is to go through investigation of a lease arrangement before you sign a contract. With that in mind, one of the first things to do was to investigate the area and call the local police to find out the crime level in the area. If you are thinking of renting an apartment, be sure to ask how many times the police have been called to that apartment complex. Many consumers have walked out on their contract due to unexpected crime at the apartment complex or surrounding areas.
You also want to be sure to get a lease that properly fits your future. Don’t take a one-year lease if there is a possibility of a job change. It is best to do six months at a time if possible.
Before signing a contract, walk through the apartment or home with the manager and document all imperfections in the dwelling and have the manager or owner sign it. Follow up with photos of every room. Put this documentation in a file and don’t lose it, because we have seen management change hands and the new person will have no documentation of the imperfections you found. This will save you from being charged excessive fees and you will cut down on many problems when moving out.
We offer free credit education classes and free credit manuals on the first and second Saturday of every month. Until next time, good credit to you.