How did you do it?

[shelliebear]

I'm having a hard time finding any apartments or rental homes that will accept me as a tenant.
Max has the income, and as a married couple it would be fine if just one person has income.
However, since we aren't married, even if we apply as room mates, both of us have to fill out separate applications and qualify for everything (3x rent, good credit, rental history, job for 6 months, etc)
I'm so frustrated. How am I ever going to start anywhere if everybody denies me because I don't have rental history?
I'm also feeling like it's not fair a married couple could get away with one application and one applicant qualifying but the other doesn't, and still getting approved, but Max and I who have been together for 3 years in September of this year can't.
It doesn't make sense. If one person has meets the requirements and volunteers to pay the bills and what not, WHY must everyone else (one person!) meet them too?
I'm losing hope. Craigslist is turning up nothing good for shared housing--everyone specifies either male or female, but no couples, unless they want some kinky thing that we're not into.

How did you guys do it? Where did you start to get your credit and rental history? Were you with a friend or significant other, or by yourself?
I'm lost.

[mommanessy247]

the reason it's different for married couples and roommates & unmarried couples is simply this:
they need to make sure that if a roommate or unmarried partner decides to split that the rent can still be paid by the remaining tenant.
i honestly wouldnt look in craigslist for a room to rent situation, look in your local paper in the classified section.

[MissDizzyBee]

Nic and I were unmarried when we got our apt, with no rental history. We both had jobs, but I don't think we both had to make 3x rent. A lot of times its was different if there were two people.

Anyways, we just had to pay an extra month's rent as an extra deposit. We looked around on rent.com and forrent.com....CL always kind of creeped me out.

[AndrewGeibel]

The way we got around that problem is that I was the only one one the lease and my roommate paid me his share. Risky? Sure, but I trusted him to pay rent and he knew that if he didn't pay up I'd come get my money. He has since graduated and moved out and now I'm doing the same thing with my girlfriend. It's worked out for us so far.

[MazAnth]

Simple

Don't tell them your not married

[Cendalla]

I don't have any answers for you. I'm new to this state so I'm not sure how the laws are. Just what the others said. Try the papers or even a real-estate agent and avoid CL. I wish you luck!

[Swingline0.0.1]

When I got my first apartment with my then boyfriend (12 years ago) we got a basic little apartment. Even though we were sure we would last forever since we had been together 2 years, we broke up, and he stuck me with the whole lease! That is why married people are easier for them to give an apartment to.

[AndrewGeibel]

Simple

Don't tell them your not married

I had to pass a background check to get my apartment. I think that would show the lack of a marriage license.

[Swingline0.0.1]

I had to pass a background check to get my apartment. I think that would show the lack of a marriage license.

It would show that. It is never a good idea to lie, because it will catch up with you. They might disqualify you from an apartment if they discover you lied.

[MissDizzyBee]

I had to pass a background check to get my apartment. I think that would show the lack of a marriage license.

They do that here as well.