https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 04:33:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-957248 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 17:28:49 +0000 MrsMaine 957248@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Apex: THANK YOU! This is exactly what I wanted to know. We are also just going to lease from the homeowner himself -- not through a company, so I'm not really sure what he would even check to begin with! Fabulous. Thanks again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-957038 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 15:54:47 +0000 Apex 957038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked in the housing/rental industry for a some years, and I should mention that if you are just an occupant, not the main lease holder (in this case your dad is the leaseholder), your credit is not really checked or used for/against you.</p> <p>What the rental company actually checks/uses in the case of a OCCUPANT (You and your DH) is your criminal background, not your credit. </p> <p>So when you go in, be sure to mention that you would only be an occupant not the lease holder and ask for what the company checks for occupants. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956555 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:26:23 +0000 mrsmate 956555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMaine: The way we'd do it is have you &amp; DH on the lease, with FIL as a non-residential guarantor. DH and I are pretty by the books people, so we'd want the paperwork to accurately document what's going on IRL.</p> <p>I just want to address your comment earlier about your credit not mattering if you have FIL to co-sign. Actually it would matter to us a lot. Fairly or not, I think many landlords equate bad credit with overall irresponsibility/poor judgment, not just financial (eg, not taking good care of the unit).</p> <p>I really hope you are able to find someone who is willing to rent to you. It's hard enough finding a rental for a young family even with good credit bc of the lead laws, at least in the Boston area.</p> <p>If you/FIL can afford it, I suggest offering to pay a good chunk of the rent ahead of time. Bring it in cash. When my sister was renting her first apt in NYC, my mom had to co-sign and pay 6mo in advance. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956336 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:01:38 +0000 mrskc 956336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would think since you and your DH will be living there, then you would be on the lease and your FIL would cosign for you. Plus, I thought a cosigner should have good credit? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956293 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:54:31 +0000 yoursilverlining 956293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was young my parents had to co-sign apartments for me. I was always the primary signer since I was the one living there. My parents were always the co-signers, since they were just basically gauranteeing payment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956254 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:48:16 +0000 cmomma17 956254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it will depend on the individual landlord/lease. We rent and we live in our apartment. We could not continue paying and let someone else live there.<br /> Hope you find a good solution soon!<br /> LOL @ the Chelsea Teen Mom reference! That girl changed houses every episode! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956232 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:42:34 +0000 MrsMaine 956232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmate: Thank you for your input! It's great to hear from an actual landlord. I wasn't planning on not being on the lease at all - of course they would have to know who is living there! I was just wondering the difference of if it looks better if FIL is the primary lease signer and we cosign or the other way around. In your opinion which is best if we have less than perfect credit? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956220 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:40:14 +0000 MrsMaine 956220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, we are planning to be very upfront about it and going with FIL to meet the landlord, see the place, etc. It will be an individual and not a corporation.</p> <p>I feel much better now knowing that our credit doesn't matter much if we have FIL cosign at the very least. Maybe I'm just overthinking it all!!</p> <p>Thanks for your help ladies. You guys know everything!! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956216 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:39:22 +0000 mrsmate 956216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMaine: I am a landlord in Boston. We would never allow someone to live in one of our units without being on the lease. Say your FIL became incapacitated and you decided to not pay the rent. We would have a hell of a time getting you evicted. Everyone who will live in our unit must be on the rental application, and we run credit checks on everybody age 18+. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956182 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:30:17 +0000 Foodnerd81 956182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know a lot of people who did it with parents as a cosigner, but never without their own name on the lease. From the landlord's point of view, they would want to know who is living in the space (like are you someone who would trash it, regardless of whether you are paying rent on time). I'm guessing it would depend on the landlord though you will probably have better luck with an individual than a big corporation. </p> <p>Keep in mind that in MA, if you have a little one you will also want to make sure it's either deleaded or built after 1978. I think you will have to disclose that a child is living there (though I don't think you need to disclose it ahead of time). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956159 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:25:58 +0000 nana87 956159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we've always had my dad as a co-signer on our apartments--in NYC landlords want you to have a minimum annual income 40x the annual rent, which is crazy-pants! your credit score shouldn't matter if you have a co-signer because then he's liable for the rent if you default. </p> <p>if the lease says subletting is okay, then you can probably get by without being on the lease at all--but sometimes subletting is prohibited (it is on our lease). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956139 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:20:18 +0000 MrsMaine 956139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are trying to avoid being on the lease so our credit isn't checked. I wonder if WE were the co-signers if they would check it, or just the primary person's.</p> <p>We want to make it look like he is doing this all as a gift to us... signing the lease and paying the rent to avoid the credit check. We obviously don't mind them checking his because it is sky high, but afraid we would get rejected if they see our low score. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-956001 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 11:52:39 +0000 wheres_c 956001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had my mom do this when I was younger and was trying to build my credit.<br /> She was always the consigner and I was also on the lease (no credit check)<br /> They still ran a background check on me, and if I broke the lease we would both have that on our records. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-955946 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 11:46:25 +0000 bunnylove08 955946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>so my dad was helping me get an apt, and the landlord said my dad would be a co signer. Even though my name was on the lease and DH was going to live with me, they made me put DH's name on the lease. They did not check his credit or anything. We paid the rent. </p> <p>Can you ask the landlord how it would work if your FIL "pays for the rent" but you're living there? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dhs-dad-renting-townhouse-for-us#post-955926 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 11:41:53 +0000 MrsMaine 955926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are currently living in my parent's in-law apartment in the basement of their house with an 8 week old. There is no privacy, not enough room, etc etc etc. Long story short: basically my family is nuts and we just can't take it anymore. I need to get out before I seriously end up in the looney bin. We need to make a change, and quick. Note: Our credit is in the drain so were were staying here to rebuild it while saving for a house of our own.</p> <p>Let's be honest here. Credit takes forever to rebuild and with me not working, getting qualified for a loan in a large enough amount to purchase a house (MA is crazy expensive!!) is probably a very long shot on DH's salary alone. DH's dad has offered to lease a townhouse for us under his name (so it would be his credit that gets checked and they would think he was paying the rent, but really we will be).</p> <p>My question is: This is do-able (and legal) right? Just that his name is on the lease and he is "paying" the rent but we are living there without him? Is this considered subletting if we are upfront about it? I can't see how it would be a problem. Money is money and I'm sure the landlord would rather it come from an older established person than from us!</p> <p>All I can think of is the Chelsea girl on Teen Mom whose moneybags dad rented her houses left and right. Anybody know?? </p>