Hi AptHunter,

The letter of recommendation is good, but some landlords prefer to contact your previous landlord(s) directly.

As far as the credit report, they will probably want to run that themselves, and will likely ask for your SS# before you sign a lease, so that they can run a credit check.

They will want evidence of financial capability, either in the form of paycheck stubs, if you are employed; tax returns, if you are self-employed; or bank statements, if you are not employed. The most recent statement is usually sufficient, but more doesn't hurt. I would think that if you are using a guarantor, there would need to be some legally-enforceable documentation in place to the effect that they are "jointly and severally liable" for the rent.

As for the five weeks, it just depends on the individual apartment, and the local rental market. Five weeks (and less) is not unheard of. But if that's all the time you have, it may cut down your selection considerably.

Happy hunting!

Paula

Hi AptHunter,

I hope you have already found an apartment in LA by this time. Just want to remind you that apartment hunting in California is much easier than that in NYC. Enjoy!

Matt

Here is a link that might be useful: Some tips on apartment hunting