How Eviction Age Affects Approval Odds

Eviction age is one of the two biggest factors in Texas rental approval (the other being balance status). This guide maps approval odds by age band across property tiers.

The core rule

Screening reports weight eviction filings more heavily the more recent they are. Approval odds improve predictably as filings age:

• Under 1 year: hardest
• 1-2 years: difficult
• 2-3 years: significant improvement
• 3-5 years: wide options
• 5-7 years: near-normal odds
• Over 7 years: should be off screening under FCRA

Approval odds by age band

Under 1 year (0-12 months)

• Class-A luxury: nearly always deny
• Class-B mid-market: mostly deny; guarantor sometimes unlocks
• Mid-market with property discretion: case-by-case with strong file + guarantor
• Independent operators: case-by-case; some approve
• Overall approval rate at 5 targeted properties: 1-2 approvals expected

1-2 years (12-24 months)

• Class-A luxury: mostly deny; some approve with guarantor + strong file
• Class-B: case-by-case common
• Mid-market: paid-balance cases workable
• Independent: usually approve with documentation
• Overall approval rate: 2-3 approvals expected

2-3 years (24-36 months)

• Class-A: case-by-case; dismissed or paid usually approvable with strong income
• Class-B: usually approve with paid balance
• Mid-market: usually approve
• Independent: usually approve
• Overall approval rate: 3-4 approvals expected

3-5 years (36-60 months)

• Class-A: usually approve with paid or dismissed
• All lower tiers: usually approve
• Overall approval rate: 4-5 approvals expected

5-7 years (60-84 months)

• Nearly all properties approve with clean rental history since
• Some Class-A still ask about it but rarely deny
• Overall approval rate: near normal

Over 7 years

• Screening reports should have purged the eviction under FCRA (15 U.S.C. § 1681c)
• If still showing, dispute it — see our dispute guide
• Approval near-normal

Age interacts with balance status

Age isn’t the only factor. Balance status changes the math significantly:

2-year-old paid > 2-year-old unpaid (paid case widens options meaningfully)

5-year-old paid > 5-year-old unpaid (still true even at 5 years)

Dismissed at any age > Judgment at same age (dismissal always helps)

Combining age + paid balance + dismissal produces the strongest file.

Deposit and risk fee changes by age

For a $1,500 unit:

Under 1 year: risk fee $400-600, double deposit typical, guarantor often required

1-2 years: risk fee $300-500, 1.5-2x deposit, guarantor helpful

2-3 years: risk fee $200-400, 1.5x deposit typical

3-5 years: risk fee $100-300, 1-1.5x deposit typical

5+ years: risk fee often waived, standard deposit possible

The 7-year FCRA window

Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, tenant screening reports generally cannot report civil suit records — including eviction filings — more than 7 years old for consumers earning under $150,000 annually.

In practice:

• Screening companies should purge eviction data older than 7 years from screening reports
• The underlying JP court filing remains permanent public record — it doesn’t disappear from the court system
• Some screening companies fail to purge on schedule — dispute if yours is over 7 years and still showing

The takeaway

The single most impactful thing you can do about your eviction age is nothing — just wait. Every year that passes improves your approval odds meaningfully. Combined with paying any balance, an older eviction becomes a manageable minor blip rather than a wall.

If your eviction is over 2 years old with paid balance, our over 2 years service walks the wider property options available to you.

If your eviction is very recent

Recent evictions are workable but require the tightest strategy:

• Target private-owner-style operators only
• Pre-qualify with Liberty Rent or OneApp Guarantee
• Bring strong income proof (4x rent if possible)
• Consider guarantor + Rhino combination
• Be prepared for higher deposits

Our unpaid balance service covers the hardest recent-eviction cases specifically.

Where our service fits

We calibrate the property target list to your specific eviction age band. Older evictions get wider Class-A and Class-B lists; recent evictions get focused private-operator and guarantor-backed lists.

Fill out the form on our home page or call 808-213-6770.