Payment can open doors, but the paperwork matters
Paying or settling a broken lease can mean more places to choose from. At some communities, it can help you avoid a risk fee too. We keep track of which communities treat paid and unpaid balances differently and which take a completed settlement. Some will take a paid receipt. Others want the account fully updated on your credit report before they'll look at your application.
The fix isn't always paying more. Often it's applying at communities that look at your documents and where your account stands now, not just the flag on your screening report.
Match the letter to how you took care of the account
Paid in full is usually the strongest spot to be in: you covered the whole balance and have a paid in full or zero balance letter. For a settlement, keep the agreement and a letter that confirms it's complete and shows any balance left. Some communities treat settled and paid the same. Others don't, and we use that difference when we build your list.
If you paid a collection agency, keep its receipt and account confirmation. A collector’s receipt only shows who got paid. It won't always show whether the account was paid in full or settled for less.
No letter yet? We can help you get ready
Call your old community's office, or whoever holds the account now. Ask them to put in writing where the account stands. If the letter is slow to come, bank records, copies of cleared checks and a completed settlement agreement can back you up.
Use the search form to tell us your city, budget, lease history and where payment stands. We look for apartments that fit your situation and the papers you have.
The community makes the final call, based on its current screening rules and what your application shows.