How to Rent an Apartment in New York City Without a Credit Score

Renting in New York City is challenging even for residents of the USA. Without a credit history (credit score), it seems impossible — but there are several viable strategies.

What Landlords Want to See

Standard requirements in NYC in 2026:

• Income = 40x monthly rent annually (e.g., rent 2,500 USD = required income 100,000 USD per year)
• Credit score 650+
• Employment history check (pay stubs, letter from employer)
• Background check (fee 20–50 USD)
• References from previous landlords

Without a credit score, all these requirements will not be met — but there are workarounds.

Strategy 1: Guarantor

The most common solution for those without credit. A guarantor is someone with a good credit score (usually a US citizen / Green Card holder) who guarantees the payment of rent.

Types of Guarantors

• Parent, relative, friend from the USA — free, but requires income 80x rent annually
• Commercial guarantor — companies like Insurent or TheGuarantors. Cost: 60–110% of monthly rent. They accept international backgrounds.
• Polish community guarantor — Polish real estate agencies in Greenpoint and Jackowo often know guarantors or accept alternative documents.

Strategy 2: Larger Upfront Deposit

Some landlords (especially in smaller buildings, private owners) accept 2-6 months of rent upfront instead of a credit check. This requires savings but is negotiable. In NYC, it is technically limited to 2 months of advance rent + 1 month of security deposit according to the 2019 NY Rent Reform.

Strategy 3: Polish Real Estate Agencies

In Greenpoint (Brooklyn), Maspeth (Queens), Wallington (NJ), there are Polish agencies that understand the situation of new immigrants:

• They accept pay stubs instead of a credit score
• They rent from Polish landlords (cultural trust)
• They negotiate with Polish building owners
• Commission: usually 1 month of rent

Strategy 4: Shared Apartment (Roommates / Sublet)

• You rent a room from someone who already has a signed lease
• The landlord does not check you as rigorously
• Platforms: SpareRoom, Roomies, Polish Facebook groups
• Sublet — sometimes illegal, check if the primary tenant has the landlord's permission

Strategy 5: No-Fee Buildings

Some buildings do not charge broker fees and have looser requirements. Look for:

• StreetEasy — filter for "No Fee"
• RentHop
• Directly on management companies' websites

Strategy 6: Reference Letters and Alternative Documents

Gather before your visit:

• Letter from employer in the USA — employment confirmation + income
• Last 3 pay stubs or W-2
• Bank statements from a US account — preferably 3-6 months
• References from Poland — from previous landlord (with translation)
• Letter of recommendation from a pastor, accountant, lawyer
• Passport, visa, I-94, EAD as proof of legal residency

What to Ignore

• Offers "no credit check, we guarantee an apartment" on Craigslist — usually a scam
• Requests for a deposit before viewing the apartment
• Renting from individuals who cannot be verified as owners
• Paying rent in cash without a receipt

Building Credit Score from Scratch

Alongside searching for an apartment, start building credit:

• Secured credit card — Discover, Capital One — deposit 200 USD as limit
• Self Inc / Credit Builder Loan — builds credit without risk
• Rent reporting services — Rentredi, RentReporters — report paid rent to credit bureaus

After 6 months, you will have your first credit score; after a year, you could have around 700+.