How Much Money to Save Before Applying

Move-in cash is one of the biggest surprises for renters with an eviction. Standard renters pay deposit plus first month plus admin. Renters with evictions often pay double deposit plus risk fee plus first month plus guarantor plus admin. This guide breaks down realistic numbers by scenario.

Standard vs eviction move-in cost

Standard renter (no eviction) for a $1,500 unit:

• Application fee: $50
• Security deposit: $1,500
• First month rent: $1,500
• Admin fee: $150
• Total: ~$3,200

Renter with recent eviction, unpaid balance, same $1,500 unit:

• Application fees (accounting for wasted ones): $150
• Risk fee: $400
• Security deposit (double): $3,000
• First month rent: $1,500
• Admin fee: $200
• Guarantor fee: $400
• Total: ~$5,650

The eviction renter is roughly $2,400 higher on move-in cash. That’s the reality.

Move-in cash by eviction scenario ($1,500 unit baseline)

Dismissed or paid balance, 3+ years old

• Application: $50
• Risk fee: $0 (often waived)
• Deposit: 1x standard ($1,500)
• First month + admin: $1,650
• Total: ~$3,200

Paid balance, 1-2 years old

• Application: $75 (fewer wasted)
• Risk fee: $200
• Deposit: 1.5x ($2,250)
• First month + admin: $1,650
• Total: ~$4,175

Recent eviction, paid balance

• Application: $150
• Risk fee: $350
• Deposit: 1.5x-2x ($2,250-3,000)
• First month + admin: $1,650
• Guarantor: $300
• Total: ~$4,700-5,450

Recent eviction, unpaid balance

• Application: $150
• Risk fee: $500
• Deposit: 2x ($3,000)
• First month + admin: $1,650
• Guarantor (often required): $500
• Total: ~$5,800-6,500

Multiple evictions

• Application: $200
• Risk fee: $500
• Deposit: 2x ($3,000)
• First month + admin: $1,650
• Guarantor (required): $500-700
• Total: ~$5,850-6,700

Scale these numbers to your target rent — divide the totals by 1,500 and multiply by your target monthly.

What each fee is (and whether it’s negotiable)

Application fee ($50-$100 per property): non-negotiable. Charged per adult applicant.

Risk fee ($150-$500): often quoted as a one-time up-front fee or amortized as a monthly rent uplift ($25-$50/month). Somewhat negotiable at independent operators; less so at large PMCs.

Double security deposit: 2x standard deposit for eviction applicants. Sometimes replaced with a Rhino or Jetty subscription.

Admin fee ($100-$300): standard property fee. Non-negotiable.

Guarantor fee ($250-$700 one-time or 5-12% monthly): required by many properties for eviction cases; check pre-qualification pricing.

How to reduce upfront cash

Pay the balance first. Reduces double deposit to standard, reduces or eliminates risk fee, sometimes eliminates guarantor requirement. Net cash savings: $1,500-3,000 despite the upfront balance payment.

Use Rhino / Jetty. Replaces cash deposit with monthly premium. Cuts upfront by $1,500-3,000; adds $15-50/month.

Split move-in with roommate or partner. If lease allows, share application fees, deposit, and first month.

Target properties with property-level flexibility. Independent operators often waive risk fees on strong files.

Ongoing monthly cost with an eviction

Beyond move-in, you may also carry:

• Rhino monthly premium: $15-50/month
• Amortized risk fee (if not paid up-front): $25-50/month rent uplift
• Guarantor monthly premium (if applicable): 5-12% of rent

Budget an extra $50-$150/month above standard rent for the first year.

The application-fee waste problem

Renters who apply blind at 5-10 wrong properties easily spend $500-$1,000 in wasted application fees. That money is gone — it’s not refundable and doesn’t count toward deposit.

Our free service is specifically designed to minimize wasted applications. We verify property policies before you apply, so your fees go only to properties that will actually consider your file. Typical savings: $300-800 in wasted fees per placement.

Budget checklist

Before starting your search seriously, have in savings:

• $3,000 minimum for the easiest eviction cases
• $5,000 for typical recent-eviction cases
• $6,500 for open-balance or multiple-eviction cases
• Additional $500-1,000 buffer for application fees and unexpected requirements

If you’re short, focus on:

• Paying the balance first (biggest lever)
• Deposit alternative products
• Targeting properties with waived risk fees

The takeaway

Renting with an eviction costs more upfront than a standard rental. The numbers above are realistic, not conservative. Have the cash budgeted before you start touring — nothing kills a placement faster than getting approved and then not being able to fund the move-in package on schedule.

Ready to see specific numbers for your target unit? Our free service walks the deposit and fee expectations for each property. Fill out the form on our home page.