What You Should Know about Renting after an Eviction

Reasons for Evictions

In San Francisco, under the Rent Ordinance, you can be evicted for numerous reasons, including nonpayment of your rent or violating your lease agreement in some way. Regardless of the reason for the eviction, it's something that you don't want on your record; it can be difficult to find your next housing opportunity.

Current Evictions

The current state of evictions during the pandemic has made things different, albeit temporarily. An eviction moratorium blocks evictions for people that can't pay rent, but they still owe the money and will have to pay it eventually. It's important to keep up with the latest news concerning this because it’s constantly changing.

Attempt to Settle the Debt

• Compile all of the information that relates to the eviction, including the eviction notice and any correspondence that you had with the landlord about the eviction. Many eviction judgments can be vacated, you should consult with an attorney about whether your case can be cleared.
• If you can get your debt settled and negotiate a settlement with your former landlord, be sure that the landlord is willing to contact the major credit bureaus to have the amount of the collection removed and that they will remove the eviction from tenant screening agencies. If they do, request a confirmation letter.
• Once you've finished your payments, be sure that you get a confirmation that the eviction is removed from the reporting agencies.
• Get copies of your credit report to verify that the eviction is gone. If it isn't, then file a formal dispute form with the credit bureau to get the information removed.

Wrongfully Evicted?

If you believe that you were wrongfully evicted, you can petition the court. For instance, if the required documents were not properly served to you, then the court may be more likely to rule for you. If the eviction was based on a lease violation and you can prove that you didn't violate it, you could get the eviction removed.

Tips for Renting After an Eviction

Obviously, your ideal situation is to get the eviction removed. However, that's not always possible. Here are some tips to help you rent after you have an eviction on your record:

• Rebuild your credit
• Be honest with prospective landlords about your eviction
• Offer to bring in a co-signor with no eviction history

Avoiding Eviction

If you're in position, it's best to avoid getting an eviction in the first place. When you're having trouble making your rent payments, you can contact your landlord to look into the possibility of a payment plan. In some cases, they may want to try to work something out with you and avoid evicting you rather than renting to a new tenant.

Take Your Eviction Concerns to a Tenants' Rights Lawyer

Being evicted impacts your present situation, as well as your future. If you're trying to head off eviction or need more information about the eviction process, help is available. Discuss your situation with a skilled tenants' rights attorney at Wolford Wayne who can assist you and be on your side. Contact us today.