Please note-this document is for informational purposes only, and does
not constitute legal advice. If you feel you are in need of legal advice, please contact
an attorney.
Finding an apartment in St. Louis and throughout Missouri can be difficult. There are
many obstacles in finding an affordable rental unit. The biggest hurdle is the lack of
affordable housing in Missouri, especially 3-bedrooms or higher. The following are tips on
how to find and obtain a unit, while building a good relationship with your landlord.
1. Look for "For-Rent" Signs. Many landlords don't advertise in the papers.
You may want to walk or drive around different neighborhoods, looking for
"For-Rent" signs.
2. Low-Income Rental Units. If you have a low income, you may qualify for apartments
where you would receive a government subsidy and pay a reduced rent. Get on the wait list
for public housing and section 8 voucher programs at your local housing authority. In the
St. Louis area, call Housing Comes First at (314) 361-8300 or your local HUD office for a
list of Section 8 multi-family HUD project based buildings.
If you have a Section 8 voucher or certificate, be careful not to move into a place
before it has been inspected by the both the City and the Housing Authority. Often times
it helps to have good references, or have a previous landlord call to help persuade the
future landlord to rent to you. Further, you may need to convince the landlord to take a
Section 8 certificate or voucher by explaining to them the benefits of renting to Section
8 holders. The benefits for a landlord are dependable, timely receipt of rental assistance
payments, the right to select his/her own tenants and that most types of residential real
estate are eligible to participate as long as the unit passes inspection. A landlord can
contact the Section 8 group at the Housing Authority to get application for a contract.
3. Make a Good First Impression. When you call about an apartment, make sure that your
house is quiet. When you go look at an apartment, treat it like a job interview.
4. Watch Out for Discrimination. It is illegal to discriminate against you because of
your race, because you have children, or because you are disabled, among other reasons. If
you sense discrimination, call for help immediately. In the St. Louis area, call Equal
Housing Opportunity Council 534-5800.
5. Get a Good Reference from Your Current Landlord. Talk to your current landlord
before you start looking. Make sure that he or she will give you a good reference. If you
have any problems with the current landlord, try to clear them up now so that you do not
get a bad reference. If your current landlord insists on giving you a bad reference, then
get a letter of recommendation from someone else: an employer, a former employer, a church
pastor, or some other respected person.
6. Don't Waste Money on Application Fees. Don't pay an application fee unless you have
a good chance of getting the apartment. If you have an eviction, a criminal history, bad
credit, or a bad relationship with an old landlord, explain this to the prospective
landlord before you pay an application fee. These facts will come out when the landlord
runs a tenant screening check on you, so you are much better off discussing them with the
landlord before you pay any money.
7. Fill Out an Application Carefully. Most applications require you to say where you
have lived for the past two or three years. Make sure you get all the addresses and dates
fight, and don't skip anything (even places where you only stayed for a month or two). If
you do, the landlord may turn you down for a false or incomplete application. If you have
lived in a lot of different places, keep a list of them with you so you don't need to
remember it each time.
8. If You Get Turned Down, Find Out Why. If the landlord used a tenant screening agency
or credit bureau, the landlord must tell you which one they used. Call that agency
immediately to request a free copy of your report. You have the right to correct any
mistakes and to explain any evictions.
9. Never Rent an Apartment You Haven't Seen. It is not good enough for the landlord to
show you one "just like it." Don't pay a deposit until you sign the lease.
10. Watch Out for Bad Landlords. Don't rent
from landlords who won't give you his or her full name. Don't rent from a landlord who
will only give you a P.O. box for an address. They are required to give you a street
address. Don't rent from a landlord who will give you a phone number, or who will only
give you a pager number. Watch out for a situation where the landlord says that he or she
has to evict the current tenant before you can have the apartment. If you have any doubts,
ask the neighbors whether the landlord is good. To further check on the landlord you can
also call the Citizens Services Bureau, Better Business Bureau, or the city housing or
health inspector, and inquire about the property at the address.
11. Read the Lease Carefully. Make sure you know who pays for the different utilities
(gas, electric, water, and sewer). If you pay for a utility, then the landlord must have
it separately metered, so that you don't pay for anyone else's usage. Make sure you know
who is responsible for shoveling the snow and caring for the lawn. You can ask the
landlord to make changes in the lease before you sign it. You and the landlord should put
your initials next to each change.
12. Look Carefully. Take Your Time. Check the appliances. Turn on the tap to make sure
there's hot water. Flush the toilet. Check the doors and windows to make sure they lock.
If there are any problems, have the landlord sign the checklist and agree to fix them
before you move in. Save this checklist until you move out of the apartment. It may help
you get your security deposit back. The Housing Comes First InfoLine has "Move-In
Inspection/Apartment Checklists" available-call (3141361-8300 to get a copy.
13. Always Get Receipts. Any time you give a landlord money, get a signed, dated
receipt that says how much you paid and what you paid it for. If the landlord does not
have receipts, buy a receipt book yourself and have the landlord sign it when money is
exchanged.
14. Give Proper Notice to Your Current Landlord. In month to month lease proper notice
is usually a full rental period (usually around 30 days) before you are going to move out.
Check your lease to be sure. Send the notice in writing and keep a copy.
15. Pay Your Last Month's Rent. You cannot use your security deposit as your last
month's rent. If you do, the landlord may evict you in the middle of the month. The
landlord can also sue you for damages and give you a bad reference. When you are moving
in, If the landlord asks for "first and last month's rent", be cautious. Know
what "last month's rent" means. Is it the security deposit or actually the last
month's rent and $0 security deposit?
16. Lead Paint. If your home or building was built before 1978, the landlord must give
you a pamphlet published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) called Protect
Your Family for Lead in Your Home. The landlord also has the responsibility of
disclosing to you all known lead-based paint hazards in your unit and any reports from
lead inspectors of the health department inspectors that have been made. Also, leases must
include warning language about lead hazards and signed statements by both you and the
landlord explaining that these requirements were completed. These signed acknowledgements
must be saved for three years as proof of compliance with lead paint regulations.
Landlords who fail to follow proper procedures may be held liable for triple the amount of
damages.
