Income and Employment After a Broken Lease

What we see in our searches

If you have no rental history since the broken lease, your paycheck and job history can carry more weight in the application. We use your income and job records to look for communities that fit your situation.

The income you need depends on the community and your situation. We keep track of each community’s number, so you don’t have to ask. If your broken lease is under two years old, see how we help with a recent broken lease.

How communities look at income

Your income and job can count in the review after a broken lease, but neither one cancels out the rental history rules. Communities differ on which income sources count, how they combine household pay and how they handle a paycheck that changes from month to month. We sort that out before a community goes on your list.

From what we see, most communities want income of about 3 times the rent, even after a recent broken lease. Some go down to 2.5 times, and that usually comes with a guarantor company backing the lease.

Most count gross income, your pay before taxes. At $1,500 rent, that’s $4,500 a month at 3 times, or $3,750 at 2.5 times.

Get your income records ready

• Your most recent pay stubs and job records.
• If you work for yourself, bank statements, tax returns or contracts.
• For a new job, an offer letter or proof of your start date.
• For other income, the letters or statements that show it.

Keep your pay stubs handy. We’ll tell you how many each community on your list wants.

Don’t change any document to show income you can’t back up. Only send private records through the secure option the community gives you.

Explain what’s changed without promising a result

A short, factual note can cover what’s changed since the lease ended, like a new job or a different housing budget. Back it up with records instead of saying the old lease doesn’t matter anymore.

If the income math doesn’t work

Look at communities with lower rent. If $1,800 is out of reach, a similar community at $1,400 may get you there.

Someone applying with you or a guarantor company can help close the gap at communities that allow them. Tell us, and we’ll look for ones that do. From what we see, a guarantor company usually costs about one month’s rent. Don’t assume a bigger deposit buys an exception.

We look at your budget and what your paperwork shows when we search. Count everything you’ll pay each month to live there, not just the rent used in the income math.

The community makes the final call, based on its current screening rules and what your application shows.