Hi.  I will try to make this short and sweet.  I want to move into a new apartment but there seems to be a problem.  I have no proof of income (go figure).  I have decent credit and good rental history but that doesn't seem to be enough.  

If anyone out there knows a way around this problem, or knows someone that could help, it would be greatly appreciated.  I live in W. Hollywood and that is where I would like to stay.  You can just post a response or email me directly [email protected]  Thanks, and have a great and satisfying day!

Most larger apt complexes are managed by professional management companies and their policies vis a vis requiring proof of income (and job verification by default) are pretty much rigid and unbending. Of course, you may find people who will offer to "fabricate" some sort of W2 or pay stubs for you, but for many reasons which I shall not mention in here, I would not go down that route if I were you! Short of resorting to some shady & unscrupulous methods and lack of a legitimate co-signor, it is very difficult to lease from such leasing agencies, even with your stated decent credit and rental history.

The other way is to find an apt in a smaller complex which is managed by it's owner or a smaller leasing agency with some degree of flexibility. In such a case, you may consider paying 3-6 month in advance (depending on the lease term) if you have the funds already saved up, to compensate for your apparent lack of job/income documentation/history. Sometimes if you can afford to pay upfront, you will get favorable rates, but the caveat is not to give a lump sum of your $$$ to someone who may be in default of their loan and in foreclosure!

Last but not least, W. Hollywood is a very desirable area and has always been a "sellers market" as far as rentals are concerned, specially in this day and age when rentals are very sought after because of all the foreclosures. I hope this helped a bit and good luck.

Casinostocks gave you some very good advice. I have seen a lot of For Rent signs posted in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, etc., especially for the smaller apartment buildings. Do you have a tax return? Sometimes, that is acceptable in lieu of a paycheck stub. What about a checking account statement or a letter from your bank attesting to your total deposits within the last calendar year? What about a letter from your current landlord stating that you have consistently paid your rent on time and in full each month?

As Casinostocks points out, you may have to pay a couple of months in advance. As far as not having a paycheck or employment verification, just tell them you are a 'trust fund baby,' living off of inherited money.

Good luck, neighbor!

For the past several years I have been in a different industry where I worked for myself and had no real "proof of income" as well.   What I did, do, though, was file taxes every year and where I could, I used that as verification of income.   Hopefully you have done that at least?

I also would encourage you to find a place that is managed or owned by a person and not a corporation, who you could speak directly to and build a relationship with.   When you put in your application to rent, include with it a sincere letter telling a bit about who you are and your passion for this particular place that you want to live in.   I have used my little "letter" trick twice in the past, and both times it worked very well for me.   The trick is to be honest, sincere, and compelling.   Its a bit "outside the box" for the rental application process, but that only goes to show them that you really care and you really are a good choice, even if it does not look that way on paper.

Most people who rent out apartments are pretty much just trying to find someone who will pay on time every month and who will not have left a ton of damage to the apartment once they move out.    So if you come across as someone who is responsible and who will love that apartment as if its theirs and treat it as such (not the way most renters treat their places), then they might be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and rent the place to you.

Best of luck!!!!

Hire companies who will co-sign with you. Although they will charge you a monthly fee for using their service, but at least you can get your place. You can google "Co-sign" and find those companies.

Hmm, I figured the last resort would be to offer the manager a freebee!  

some places with allow you to use a bank statement to show you have steady income. just ask.