Does Apartments.com Report to Credit Bureaus

Does Apartments.com Report to Credit Bureaus?

Apartments.com can report rent payments to credit bureaus, but this is typically an opt-in service for landlords, not an automatic process. Shared data includes payment history and lease dates. For definitive information on your specific rental agreement, contact their support team directly.

Common reporting triggers include:

• New Lease: Opening a new rental account or lease agreement through the platform.
• Payment Dates: On-time, late, and missed payment events are recorded and reported monthly.
• Late Payment Threshold: Payments that are more than 30 days past due are often reported.
• Account Closure: The status of your account when you move out, including any outstanding balances.
• Collections: Any unpaid rent that is sent to a collections agency is reported.

Who Does Apartments.com Report Credit Information to?

Apartments.com reports your rental payment data to the three major credit bureaus:

• Experian
• TransUnion
• Equifax

When does Apartments.com Report to Credit Bureaus?

There isn't a set, universal timeframe when Apartments.com reports to credit bureaus. Unlike a credit card company that might report on a specific day each month, the platform’s interactions with credit agencies are typically event-driven. This means a report is generated based on individual factors and specific triggers, such as when a property manager initiates a credit screening for a new applicant or when a tenant enrolls in a service to have their rent payments reported. Therefore, the timing of any report is entirely dependent on these user-specific actions rather than a predetermined calendar.

How Reporting Can Affect Your Credit Score

Positive impact

• Making consistent, on-time rent payments adds positive information to your credit report, the single most important factor in calculating your credit score.
• For those with thin or no credit files, rent reporting establishes a new tradeline, providing a powerful tool to build a history from scratch.
• Over time, a long-standing rental payment history can increase the average age of your accounts, another key component of a healthy credit profile.

Potential negatives

• Any late payments reported to the credit bureaus will damage your payment history, potentially lowering your score just like a late loan payment.
• Unpaid rent that goes to collections is reported as a severe delinquency, which can cause a significant and long-lasting drop in your score.
• Adding a new rental tradeline could slightly decrease the average age of your accounts, a minor factor that may cause a temporary dip.

Tips for Managing Credit with Apartments.com

Here are several actionable ways you can use the platform to stay on top of your credit:

• Enable automatic rent payments to ensure you never miss a due date. This simple step helps you avoid late fees and protects your credit score from negative reporting.
• Opt into Apartments.com’s rent reporting service. This feature sends your on-time payment history to credit bureaus, which can help positively build your credit profile over time.
• Regularly monitor your credit score using the tools available on the platform. Keeping an eye on your score helps you track progress and spot potential issues early.
• When applying for a new rental, carefully review the credit report that is pulled. Check for any errors and be prepared to dispute inaccuracies with the bureaus.
• Understand that each rental application may trigger a hard inquiry on your credit. Group your applications within a short timeframe to minimize the impact on your score.

‍

Get More From Your Credit Cards

To unlock the full potential of your credit cards, Kudos is the essential free shopping extension for your online purchases. As a bonus, you'll receive $20 back following your initial eligible transaction when you sign up for free with code "GET20" and buy from a Boost merchant.