Rent Payment Assistance: Where to Look First

Talk to Your Landlord Early

If you know rent will be late or short, contact your landlord or property manager before the due date. Some landlords will work out a plan, especially if you ask before rent is late. Ask whether they'll accept:

• A partial payment now and the rest by a specific date
• A short payment plan that spreads the past-due amount over a few months
• A waiver or reduction of the late fee if you pay by an agreed date

Put any agreement in writing, even a short email, with the amounts and dates. Read your lease too: it usually spells out the grace period and late fees.

Where to Find Rental Assistance Now

Help still exists, but it's mostly local, and programs open and close as funding allows:

• Call or text 211. 211 connects you to state and local emergency rent programs, charities, and other help where you live. You can also search at 211.org (opens in a new tab).
• Contact your local housing agency or community action agency. Some cities, counties, and states run their own emergency rent programs.
• Ask charities and faith-based groups. Local organizations sometimes help with one month's rent or a security deposit.
• Talk to a HUD-approved housing counselor. Some agencies offer low- or no-cost rental counseling. Call HUD at 800-569-4287 to find one, and check that rental counseling is among the services they offer.

Longer-Term Housing Help

If rent is consistently more than you can afford, ask about Housing Choice Vouchers (often called Section 8) and public housing. You apply through your local public housing agency, and help generally goes to households with very low or extremely low incomes. These programs aren't emergency money: waiting lists are common and can be long, and some are closed to new applicants. HUD suggests applying with more than one housing agency if you can.

If You've Received an Eviction Notice

An eviction notice isn't the same as an eviction. In general, a landlord has to go through a court process to remove a tenant, and you have the right to respond. Don't ignore court papers: renters who don't respond may lose by default.

Rules vary by state. In California, for example, the state attorney general explains that the only lawful way to evict a tenant is through a court case, and that a landlord can't lock you out or shut off utilities to force you to leave. Check the rules where you live.

• Get free legal help. Legal aid organizations may represent you for free if your income qualifies. Find one through LawHelp.org (opens in a new tab) or USA.gov's legal aid page (opens in a new tab).
• Respond by the deadline on any court papers, and go to the hearing.
• Keep records of rent payments, your lease, notices, and messages with your landlord.

Rent Payment Apps and Split-Rent Services

Some companies let you split rent into smaller payments during the month, or pay rent for you and have you repay them, usually for a membership or service fee. Before you use one:

• Add up the fees. Compare the monthly cost with your landlord's late fee. A membership you'd pay every month can cost more over a year than an occasional late fee.
• Check what happens if you miss a payment to the service.
• Ask whether it reports to credit bureaus, and whether it reports only on-time payments.
• Confirm your landlord gets paid on time. You're still responsible for your rent under your lease.

Can Paying Rent Help Your Credit?

Rent usually isn't reported to the credit bureaus automatically. Some landlords and rent payment services report on-time payments, sometimes for a fee, and the credit bureaus handle rental data in different ways. Unpaid rent sent to a collection agency can appear on your credit report. Separately, tenant screening companies keep their own records that landlords may check.

If You Still Need to Borrow

Borrowing to pay rent can make sense for a one-time gap, such as a security deposit for a move or a single month after an unexpected expense. It rarely helps if rent is consistently higher than your income. If you do borrow, compare the APR and total cost, avoid loans that use your car title as collateral, and make sure the payment fits next month's budget along with next month's rent.