HACK 109 Ask Your Landlord to Report Your Rent

Your rent probably takes up a big chunk of your budget, but it rarely gets included on your credit report (that is, unless your rent is always late). There are two methods to getting your positive payment history reported to credit bureaus:

• Ask your landlord to report your on-time payments via a service like RentTrack, Rentler, or Cozy. These companies allow you to pay your rent online to facilitate the reporting process with your landlord.
• Have your rent payments reported without having to ask your landlord. RentTrack and Rentler provide this service; you pay online and in some cases the service mails a rent check on your behalf. Not every option is free, but the nominal fees could be worth it each month if you’re making a concerted effort to raise your credit score.