Most apartment complexes now conduct criminal background checks and this is in order to avoid discriminatory accusations of biased renting and also to protect their investments. Apartments also want to ensure that they keep their reputation as a safe neighborhood so existing tenants can renew their leases. All these factors weigh heavily into why apartments screen their prospective tenants. Another reason why apartments feel compelled to conduct criminal background checks is because they do not want their apartment to be a regular source of police activity and thereby drive rent prices down.
So if you have a criminal record, what are the tactics you can employ? There are a few tactics you can employ but one of the most effective is to get someone who is esteemed in society to vouch for your character. You can achieve this by getting someone like a pastor who knows you to write a letter to the apartment and state that he or she knows you and that you are a reformed person and an outstanding model citizen. To augment the letter, you can also write your own that also explains your side of the story.
One other thing you can include in your letters is the any membership to any community volunteer services. These can be extremely helpful and can sway the apartment manager into granting you an approval.
Apartment managers are also employees who also have bosses and upper management monitoring their actions. Sometimes the apartment manager does not have the freedom to grant you an approval and he or she may have to go to his or her manager. In our experience, if you present yourself convincingly, you may be granted an approval.
Renting an apartment with a criminal record can be a frustrating ordeal especially if you do not know where to start. You may end up with numerous denials which can really wreak havoc on your self-esteem. One thing to remember is not to give up and to think strategically because there is a solution no matter how bleak the situation.
You can also seek more advanced publications which can give you more tips on how to get past an apartment criminal background check.