Credit Explanation Letter

Use this letter when you're applying for a rental and expect a low credit score, a past eviction, collections, or a gap in rental history to count against you. It works best with a small landlord or a leasing office that reviews applications individually, and it turns a number on a report into a person with a plan and proof of change.

1. 1

   Keep the explanation to a sentence or two. Take responsibility, skip the blame, and move on to what has changed.

2. 2

   Lead with proof: steady income, months of on-time payments, and a reference from a current or past landlord carry more weight than the story.

3. 3

   Offer a concrete reassurance — a co-signer, proof of savings, or automatic payments. If you offer a bigger deposit, check your state's deposit limit first.

4. 4

   Attach the documents you mention (pay stubs, bank statements, reference letters), with account numbers blacked out.

5. 5

   Never put your full Social Security number or bank account numbers in the letter.

6. 6

   Send it with your application or right after, so it is read alongside your screening report rather than after a decision.

• Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, a landlord who turns you down, raises the rent or deposit, or requires a co-signer based even partly on information in a consumer report must tell you, name the company that supplied the report, and explain your right to dispute it and to get a free copy if you ask within 60 days.
• Credit history is not protected under the federal Fair Housing Act, but a landlord can't apply screening rules differently because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status.
• Some states and cities limit how landlords may use certain history in screening, such as old evictions or criminal records.
• Many states cap security deposits, so an offer of a larger deposit may be limited by law where you live.
• This template is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.