RENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Applied identically to every applicant. Last updated August 2026.
WHO APPLIES
Every adult 18 or older who will live in the home and is not a dependent submits a separate application. $10 application fee and $40 background and credit screening fee, per applicant.
CREDIT — TWO WAYS TO QUALIFY
- Option 1 — Credit score of 600 or above, with satisfactory background and credit results.
- Option 2 — Credit score below 600, satisfied by both a verified rental reference and documented proof of gross monthly income of at least 3× the rent. Both are required; neither alone is sufficient.
RENTAL REFERENCES
References must come from a landlord who is unrelated to you and not a personal acquaintance, and are verified independently against county property records. Where the landlord is a private individual, we ask for two of: the signed lease, six to twelve months of payment records, or a move-in/move-out inspection or deposit receipt. References we cannot verify do not satisfy Option 2.
We contact your current and/or previous landlord for every application. If you do not have a current landlord — for example you own your home, live with family, or are renting for the first time — we may require an additional security deposit of up to one month’s rent. We will tell you in writing if that applies.
COLLECTIONS — ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PATH
- Not counted at all: medical debt, student loans.
- Counted at half weight: telephone and cell accounts.
- Counted at full weight: utilities, repossessions, charge-offs, judgments, and all other collections not owed to a landlord.
Where qualifying collections total more than $1,500, or where there are five or more qualifying accounts, we can still approve you with an additional security deposit equal to one month’s rent, alongside the standard deposit and first month’s rent.
Collections owed to a previous landlord are reviewed separately and may result in denial regardless of amount. If the balance is inaccurate, already satisfied, or disputed, tell us and send what you have — a payment record, a settlement or paid-in-full letter, or a court record. We review it before we decide.
AUTOMATIC DENIALS
- Falsified information on the application
PRIOR EVICTIONS
An eviction judgment within the past five years is not an automatic denial. It is reviewed individually. We will work with you if you can provide any one of the following:
- Documentation from the landlord who filed the eviction
- A court record showing the case was dismissed, vacated, or satisfied
- Proof the balance was paid or settled
- A written explanation from you, together with whatever supporting records you have — payment history, correspondence, or a later landlord reference
Without something to review we cannot assess the circumstances, and the application is declined. Tell us about it up front rather than waiting for the screening report — it does not count against you to raise it, and it gives you time to gather what you need.
An eviction judgment older than five years is not considered.
LEASE AND PROPERTY
- Twelve months minimum, up to twenty-four.
- No smoking on the property.
- Pets — policies vary by property and owner; see the individual listing.
- Housing assistance and voucher programs — participation varies by property and owner. Ask us about a specific home.
ASSISTANCE ANIMALS
Service animals and assistance animals, including emotional support animals, are approved as a reasonable accommodation at every property regardless of that property’s pet policy. They are never charged a pet fee or pet deposit, and breed and weight limits do not apply to them.
Where the disability is readily apparent we ask for nothing further. Where it is not, we request documentation from a health care provider who has personal knowledge of you — a provider who treats you, including one you see by telehealth. Consistent with HUD Notice FHEO-2020-01, a certificate, registration, ID card, or vest purchased online does not meet this standard on its own. We never ask for your diagnosis, and we decide within ten days.
Residents remain responsible for any damage their animal causes.
YOUR RIGHTS
A full background and credit check is run on every applicant. If we take any adverse action based on a screening report — including approving you with an additional deposit — we will send you written notice identifying the screening company, its contact information, and your right to obtain a free copy of the report and dispute anything in it.
Southern Housing LLC complies with the federal Fair Housing Act and the South Carolina Fair Housing Law. Additional terms may apply; see the individual listing and the lease.