How to build credit and deal with debt collectors for an apartment
Unpaid old debt and aggressive collection notices make people fear that opening a new line of credit will instantly ruin their credit history. This uncertainty stops them from safely establishing credit, which is necessary to secure a new apartment while trying to pay off the balance.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Negotiate a settlement with debt collectors to pay a fraction of the total amount in exchange for closing the account as paid in full.Did this help you?
- 2Ignoring the email to avoid accidentally giving more information by reaching outDid this help you?
- 3Waiting for physical mail which legitimate debt collectors typically sendDid this help you?
- 4Ignoring the debt collector and not dealing with itDid this help you?
- 5Researching statute of limitationsDid this help you?
- 6Doing research onlineDid this help you?
- 7Waiting for the debt to drop off the credit report after 7 yearsDid this help you?
- 8Using a PayPal credit line with strict self-imposed rules for charges and paymentsDid this help you?
- 9Paying off interest-bearing credit card debtDid this help you?
- 10Using goodwill letters for missed paymentsDid this help you?
- 11Requesting pay-for-delete agreements with collection agenciesDid this help you?
- 12Getting on a bare minimum monthly plan to keep the debt out of collections while figuring out the disputeDid this help you?
- 13Consulting free legal advice or seeking a debt relief lawyerDid this help you?
- 14Negotiating a pay-to-delete agreement for the charge-off cardDid this help you?
- 15Using a Chime credit builder card consistently and keeping utilization lowDid this help you?
- 16Applying for a secured credit card with cash collateralDid this help you?
- 17Getting added as an authorized user (AU) on someone else's accountDid this help you?
- 18Renting tradelines by paying someone with good credit to add you as an authorized userDid this help you?
- 19Stopping further applications for credit to avoid adding hard inquiriesDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I got an email yesterday from transworld systems inc saying that I owe money to a company I've never heard of and that they sent a notice to an address I've never lived at.”source ↗
“How do I go about disputing (or paying it if it's real) this before it goes on my credit?”source ↗
“Hey everybody, I have a debt collector claiming to have a medical debt of about $800 I owe for a hospital visit 3+ years ago in Maryland. From what I read statute of limitations is 3 years I also do not think I have any receipts or invoices for this original amount.”source ↗
“Should I be requesting proof this is real? Can they do anything if it is past the time limit of statute of limitations? Will it affect me at all just not dealing with it?”source ↗
“debt collectors are now contacting me about ~$9k that was left unpaid.”source ↗
“i’m trying to save up money to pay it off fully, i’m about halfway there right now.”source ↗
“i’m also trying to open a line of credit so i can try and get an apartment soon, but i don’t know the best way to manage it.”source ↗
“also scared if i do open a line of credit, that it will automatically make it horrible since i have this debt on my record.”source ↗
“So my credit score on vantage score is 567😬I made Really bad decisions I made when I was younger, now trying to fix it but don’t know anything about the first step”source ↗
“I’m not exactly sure what to do but anything helps guys thanks.”source ↗
“My credit was in the 760s when I co signed and now it's just under 600. I'm just trying to build it back up.”source ↗
“i get debt calls and texts about medical debts from services i’m still trying to prove were malpractice.”source ↗
“is there anyone i can at least report this too besides collecting free legal advice until i can get a debt relief lawyer or something?”source ↗
“Basically my credit is trash. Experian says 607, TransUnion says 675.”source ↗
“The problem is that I have no credit cards & no loans other than a chime credit builder card. But I opened a store credit card over 6 years ago, didn’t pay it, now it’s a charge off. 3 hard inquiries because I’ve been trying to look into loans and credit cards.”source ↗
“How can I quickly raise my credit score? I do plan on calling the company and negotiating a pay-to-delete with the charge off store card, but I’m not sure what else to do since I don’t qualify for any traditional credit cards or loans. Hellllppp.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2How to rebuild credit after late student loans
- 3Why am I in collections when automatic payments failed?
- 3How to handle sudden unexpected debt and a drained emergency fund
- 3Do I need to buy a car on finance just to build credit?
- 3How to fix credit damage after fleeing domestic abuse
- 3How do I get off my parents' credit card without ruining my credit?