If you are planning to move sometime immediately following your bankruptcy, you may be faced with the question, “can I rent a place even though I just filed for bankruptcy?”  The good news is that, yes you can rent a place, but you can do a few things to make it a little easier.

In her book, Bounce Back From Bankruptcy, Paula Langguth Ryan gives the easiest way to find a place quickly.  “Your best bet when you’re ready to rent a new apartment or house is to find one that is for rent through a private landlord.  Your local classified ads will offer your best opportunity for finding people who want to rent out individual rental properties.  You can also ask friends who live in apartments for the name of the owner of their building.  That way, you have a good chance of approaching the owner directly.”

Ryan’s point is that if you are dealing with an individual as opposed to a corporation they will be more likely to work with you.  For instance, most corporation-owned apartment complexes have strict rules saying that they can’t rent to someone who has two bad accounts.  However, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem if you’ve worked to make sure credit report is updated.  Accounts that say “discharged under bankruptcy” aren’t bad, but accounts that show as late because they weren’t updated are bad.  You just need to make sure your credit report is fully up to date before approaching a leasing office or owner.

Also, show up prepared and be honest.  You don’t want to be caught off guard when the leasing agent runs your credit.  You want to know exactly what is on your report, and also bring a copy of your credit report if you have one.  It is important to be honest as well.  Many applications for leases ask about your bankruptcy history.  When someone runs your credit they will see the bankruptcy, so there isn’t a point in trying to hide it.

Anyway, don’t be afraid that you won’t be able to get a place after your bankruptcy.  You should just follow some of the steps that have been mentioned and you will be fine.  Don’t let any fears about bankruptcy keep you from getting a second chance with your financial life.  If you speak with a bankruptcy attorney they can show you how many of the fears people have are myths, and they will show you how easily you can bounce back from bankruptcy.  Call a bankruptcy attorney if you would like to find out more.