Reference
Renter terms, in plain words.
Renting comes with its own vocabulary, so here are clear definitions for the words you are most likely to meet on an application, from FCRA to income-to-rent.
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Renter terms, in plain words.
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Application fee
- Definition
- A one-time charge set by the landlord that covers verifying your identity, income, and background.
Co-applicant
- Definition
- Someone who applies with you, such as a roommate or partner, sharing the lease and combining incomes.
Guarantor
- Definition
- A person who agrees to cover the rent if you cannot, helping you qualify without living in the home.
Income-to-rent
- Definition
- How your income compares to the rent, often shown as a ratio a landlord uses to gauge affordability.
Income verification
- Definition
- Confirming what you earn from trusted sources you link or documents you upload.
Identity verification
- Definition
- Confirming you are who you say you are, which protects you from fraud in your name.
Credit score
- Definition
- A number summarizing how you have managed credit over time, read as a pattern, not a verdict.
ESA (emotional-support animal)
- Definition
- An assistance animal that provides support for a disability, treated as an accommodation, not a pet.
Adverse action
- Definition
- A notice you receive when a rental decision goes against you because of a report, explaining the reason and your right to respond.
FCRA
- Definition
- The Fair Credit Reporting Act, the federal law that gives you the right to see the reports used about you, to a copy of them, and to dispute errors.
HUD
- Definition
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency whose guidance shapes fair-housing rules, including how assistance-animal requests are handled.
Fair Housing Act
- Definition
- The federal law (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) protecting renters from discrimination and securing accommodations such as living with an assistance animal.
Dispute
- Definition
- Your right to challenge information in a report you believe is wrong, prompting the reporting source to investigate and correct genuine errors.
Reasonable accommodation
- Definition
- A change to a rule or policy that lets a renter with a disability use a home equally, such as keeping an assistance animal.
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