Hey Reddit, need some honesty here.
I lost my job in 2025 and fell behind on a bunch of BNPL stuff (Affirm, Klarna—27+ late payments 😭). I worked out hardship plans with both and got everything current, but the lates still hit my credit reports.
Before this, I never had any late payments. I’m 28, still living with family, and trying to move out, but I’m worried landlords/rent apps will see all this and just deny me.
How bad is this realistically for renting or rebuilding my credit? Anyone been through something similar and gotten approved for apartments or bounced back?
27+ BNPL late payments—still jobless at 28, how bad is this for renting/credit?
byu/Expgarment inpersonalfinance
Posted by Expgarment
12 Comments
That’s about as bad as it can be
Don’t expect approval for anything that requires credit
I’d be most worried about getting a job if you don’t have one. You aren’t moving out without one regardless what your credit score is
You are likely not going to be able to rent an apartment for years.
How much do you have left to pay to Affirm and Klarna?
Honesty?
Brother you can’t afford to move out. You have no job, no money, no income, and a bunch of debt.
You need to get a job and continue to live at home until you pay off your debt and have some money saved up.
Stop buying stuff.
That’s bad but honestly lack of income will be your biggest hurdle to moving out. First focus on finding a job, then you can work in fixing your credit.
Dont worry about credit scores or landlords. Get income. Get to having a positive cash flow. Then get to having a positive balance sheet.
Be flexible and see what’s available. Not just what you think you are suited for, but things you are able to do but maybe havent considered. If you are able to do physical outdoor work then maybe you could be a lineman apprentice, for example.
Idk if you can actually see that the hits are for BNPL, but if you can, that would tell me that whoever it was doesn’t have the resources to buy relatively common items otherwise. Getting nailed with 27 lates is astronomical.
Get a job. Anything that can help pay that down, then get something in your field (it is easier to get a job once you have one). Worry about digging out of the BNPL bullshit before you even think of moving out. Right now, living with family is your lifeline.
It’s going to take a few years to repair credit. But you have to start actually doing that. The wiki has guides on what to do, read and formulate a plan.
No one is going to rent to you with no job. Your late payments are less of an issue than no ability to pay your rent each month. Of you get work stabilized then you might have a shot.
My credit score wasn’t great when I got approved for my apartment. At the time I was rebuilding after an illness so I also had late payments. So it is possible with a job, but you will need a good income. My apartment complex wanted proof I made at least 3x the cost of rent. I do make at least that much.
You gotta have a couple years of on time payments and your credit will improve
You are not going to be able to rent unless you have a signifigant deposit down or prepay a bunch of months.
In your current situation you need to keep living at home for a while to sort out your finances.
My credit was shot due to a foreclosure and it took me 6 years to get back on my feet again.
My score went from high 700s to low 500s after this hit my credit. I had rejection after rejection. Nobody wanted to rent to me. With time you will get this sorted out. But don’t expect anything for a while.
I wouldn’t worry about it. Landlords will reject you for being unemployed before they get to your credit.