How long does an eviction stay on your credit report?

An eviction will not appear on your credit report, but unpaid rent can stay on your report for seven years. If you are evicted and do not pay the outstanding balance, your landlord may sell the debt to a collection agency. As a result, a collection account will be listed on your credit report.

You can find out how a collection account is likely to impact your credit score by using WalletHub’s free simulator.

Collections Can Become Court Judgments

If the collection agency is not repaid, further legal action may be taken against you. Court judgments do not appear on your credit report, but do require you to pay the debt.

Alternatives to Breaking Your Lease

It’s important to note that if you need to break a lease, there are other options besides foregoing the rent payments, including offering your security deposit to subsidize the landlord’s losses, paying the rent until a new tenant is secured, or finding a subletter. Using one of these alternatives could prevent significant damage to your credit. 

Improving Your Credit

If you were negatively impacted by an eviction, you can learn how to rebuild your credit and get personalized credit-improvement tips for free here at WalletHub.