Finding housing that meets your needs can be difficult. Following the advice on this page will help you take control of your situation. We will cover important things to remember about the application process and roommates.

We based this information on Utah housing law. Other state housing laws may be different. If you need legal advice, please reach out to an attorney. If you have a very low income, you may qualify for free or low-cost legal aid from the Utah Legal Services.

Applying for New Housing

Your first step to new housing is your application. We have listed some helpful tips on things to remember about applications. These will help you best choose your new housing.

Do your homework on potential housing

It’s best not to apply for housing unless you are pretty sure that you will want to live there. Once you sign a lease and pay your deposit, it can be hard to re-negotiate the terms or end the lease. The best plan is to learn everything you can to make your decision. Research the landlord, tour the property in person, and read a copy of the lease before you sign.

Landlords must tell you their Tenant Selection Criteria

Tenant Selection Criteria are like a checklist for a landlord. If you, the applicant, fit all their criteria, they may rent to you. State law requires landlords to tell you their selection criteria. When you apply, ask for a written notice of their criteria before you sign or pay. A landlord may deny an application because of your:

• Criminal background
• Previous rental history
• Income
• Employment status
• Credit score

Based on their notice, you can get a good idea before applying if you will be eligible for their housing. They may ask you to sign a document saying you received the notice of the landlord’s criteria.

Check your credit

A landlord will often check your credit report when you apply. It’s a good idea for you to know what’s on your report. There are three big credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, Transunion). You can get free copies of your report from them online. You can also sign up for weekly updates on your credit. Your credit report will show your status, as well as any fraud or innacuracies you will need to fix.

Part of your report is your FICO score. This score is a number that grades your credit. Landlords will look at specific FICO scores when reviewing your application. You do not need to know your score to apply for housing. If you want to know your score, you will have to pay for this option on your credit report. You can also get a FICO score estimates for free at banks and other credit companies. Remember these other scores are only estimates. Landlords will not see the same score as the one shown to you for free by your bank.

View Your Online Free Credit Report

Be prepared for application fees

An application fee are nonrefundable fees you must pay when submitting applications. These fees cover the cost of processing your application and a background check. Landlords should only charge an application fee if the unit is available.

If you believe a law was broekn with your application, you can submit a refund request. The Utah Application Dispute Fund may help with this process. The Utah Multifamily Housing Association runs this program, not Salt Lake City. We cannot guarantees that you will receive a refund if you submit a request, even if you qualify for one.

Landlords must disclose all rent and fees for a unit

Utah law requires that landlords provide an estimate of their rent and fees for their units. They must share this estimate before accepting your application fee or other payments. This rental expense disclosure must include:

• Monthly rent amount
• What other non-rent expenses they include in the lease and their amounts. This could include gas, electricity, water, common-area maintenance, or other costs.

They must also disclose the process for receiving refunds for certain fees.

Have a security deposit ready

A security deposit is money you pay to your new landlord before you move in. It is not an application fee. It is also not first or last month’s rent. These deposits provides protections to a landlord against things like:

• Damage to their property
• Unpaid rent
• Cleaning costs
• Other lease agreements.

You should get your security deposit back when you move out. If you follow your lease and don’t damage the property, landlord’s must give back your full deposit. Find out more about getting your deposit back on our Moving Out page.

Getting Roommates

Having a roommate can make your renting more affordable and fun. It can also be challenging. The information below can help you find a roommate.

Roommates vs. subletting

Subletting is not the same as having roommates. A roommate is another person who lives with you and signed the same lease as you. Subletting means renting out some or all your apartment to someone else who did not sign your lease. This can be for short periods of time or long-term. Most leases do not allow you to sublet your apartment without consent from the landlord. Make sure that you know what your lease says about subletting and follow the terms in your lease.

Finding a compatible roommate

You should find someone who you can get along with as a roommate. If you have problems with a roommate, things can get messy. Even if you like your roommate, it can be helpful to write down what you need from each other when you move. Another city created a helpful Renting Together Contract (PDF | 58 KB) you can use. This will help you and your roommates get along and stay on the same page while you rent together. You can change parts of this contract to fit the needs of you and your roommates. Then you and your roommates can fill out and sign the form before you move in together.

Learn More About Renting With a Roommate