AKS Realty Group: Applying to Rent With Us

Every person who is 19 or older and plans to live in the home completes their own application. The fee is $65 per applicant and is non-refundable, because it pays for screening that starts as soon as you apply.

We confirm your identity and then review five areas: income, credit history, past rentals, eviction records and criminal background.

Add up the gross monthly income of everyone applying. Together, applicants should show enough monthly income, before taxes, to cover three times the rent. For a home renting at $1,200, that means $3,600 a month.

Income from any lawful, verifiable source counts. Examples include a job, self-employment, Social Security, disability benefits, a pension or retirement plan, and child support. You can prove it with recent pay stubs, W-2s, benefit letters, tax returns, bank statements or a signed job offer. Please note that we don't take part in the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program.

No. We read the actual accounts on your report: whether you pay on time, whether anything has gone to collections or been written off, and whether you owe money to a previous landlord.

Yes. Having no credit file is not a reason to turn you down. We'll look more closely at your income and rental record. You're welcome to send other proof that you pay bills on time, such as rent receipts, utility statements or a phone bill history. A guarantor is another option (see Question 10).

We ask prior landlords about payment history, any balance owed, lease compliance, and the condition of the home at move-out. If you've owned a home instead, we'll check your mortgage record. If this is your first rental, tell us when you apply.

We can't approve you if a court has ordered your eviction in the last seven years, or if you currently owe money to any landlord. If an eviction is older than seven years, we will also look at whether your current or most recent housing has been in good standing. If a record is wrong or the debt has been paid, send us the paperwork.

We review the past seven years. We can't approve a felony conviction from that period, and we look at any other record individually. Arrests without a conviction never count against you, and you're welcome to give us context or point out a report that's wrong.

A guarantor can help if your income falls short of the requirement, or if you have little or no credit or rental history. The guarantor applies, pays the same $65 fee, goes through the same screening, and signs a guaranty agreeing to cover the lease's financial obligations. A guarantor can't make up for an eviction, landlord debt or a criminal record that doesn't meet the standards above.

Yes. You can ask for a reasonable accommodation at any point, before or after you apply. That includes asking to live with an assistance animal in a home that doesn't allow pets. Contact our office at 205-821-9683 or [email protected] and we'll respond promptly. Asking will never count against your application.

You'll receive a written notice. If a screening report affected the decision, the notice names the company that supplied it. It also explains that you can get a free copy within 60 days and dispute anything inaccurate. That company didn't make the decision.