Start by finding out what they’re objecting to
This is the step that gets skipped, and it’s the one that decides which tool works.
Properties say no for two very different reasons. Qualification means your income or credit falls short of their criteria. Security means they’ll approve you but want more protection in case something goes wrong.
A property may take a guarantor for some qualification issues. A deposit covers security. Neither one guarantees approval, so confirm what the property accepts before you pay for a third party product.
So ask directly: “What exactly is the concern, and what would fix it?” Any leasing office that’s turning you down can answer that. Our approach for complicated files is on second chance leasing.
The three tools
A guarantor or cosigner. Someone qualified stands behind the lease and is liable if you don’t pay. A family cosigner is free but takes on real risk and usually has to meet a higher income multiplier themselves. A commercial service (TheGuarantors, OneApp) charges a fee tied to the rent and keeps it arm’s length. OneApp, for example, lists a one time fee equal to one month’s rent.
A deposit alternative. An insurance backed product that replaces most of a deposit with a smaller fee you don’t get back, paid upfront or monthly. It only works if the community has signed on with that provider.
A double or additional deposit. Cash you get back at move-out, minus any damage. The oldest and simplest answer.
Cost across a lease, side by side
On a $1,450 apartment, assuming the property wants an additional $1,450 of security or a guarantee:
| Option | Cost across a 15 month term | Get it back? | Fixes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family cosigner | $0 | n/a | Qualification |
| Guarantor service at 7.5% of annual rent | ~$1,305 | No | Qualification |
| Deposit alternative, upfront fee | $250 to $400 | No | Security |
| Deposit alternative, $30/month | ~$450 | No | Security |
| Additional deposit | $1,450 out, returned less damages | Yes | Security |
The guarantor service is the most expensive line by far. That’s why it matters so much to pin down whether qualification is really the issue. Full breakdown in what a guarantor program costs over a lease.
Which one opens which properties
This is the practical part, and it changes from one property to the next.
Some communities accept a commercial guarantor and won’t take a larger deposit at all. To them, short income is a qualification problem with only one fix. Others do the reverse: no third party guarantees, but they’re open to two months down instead. Plenty accept a family cosigner but not a service. A few accept none of it, and there’s no getting around their criteria.
There’s no way to know without asking, and asking before applying is free.
The question, in one line
“If I bring a guarantor, an extra deposit or a deposit alternative, does that clear the file?” Get it in writing before you buy anything.
When to walk instead
Sometimes the honest answer is that a cheaper apartment beats an expensive workaround.
Say you’re spending $1,300 on a guarantee to reach a $1,450 unit, and you’d clear a $1,250 unit outright. The second option is $200 a month cheaper and saves the guarantee fee. Houston one bedrooms averaged $1,333 in net effective rent, meaning rent after specials (SparkAPT, November 2, 2026). The metro median was $1,425. So the cheaper apartment is usually a real choice, not a consolation prize.
That math is worth doing before you commit. Almost nobody at a leasing desk will do it for you, since they’re leasing that unit, not comparing it to a competitor’s.
What we do
Pin down the actual objection. Pulling your own tenant screening report first is the cheapest way to find out what it is. Then find out which fixes each property accepts, price them across your real lease term, and compare that against properties you’d clear without help.
We explain these third party programs. We don’t sell them. The apartment community pays our referral fee after you sign, which is why we’re free to tell you when a guarantee isn’t worth buying.