What we verified in “Your first apartment: a guide for students and young adults”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. Under the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1087ll), the cost of attendance used for federal financial aid includes tuition and fees, an allowance for books and supplies, one for transportation, one for personal expenses and one for living expenses, including food and housing; for a student living off campus and not in institution housing, a standard allowance for rent or other housing costs; and for a dependent student living with parents, a standard allowance that cannot be zero.

   Sources 1 · 20 U.S.C. 1087ll(a): 'tuition and fees normally assessed a student'; 'an allowance for books, course materials, supplies, and equipment'; 'an allowance for transportation'; 'an allowance for miscellaneous personal expenses'; 'an allowance for living expenses, including food and housing costs'; 'for a student living off campus, and not in institutionally owned or operated housing'; 'a standard allowance for rent or other housing costs'; 'for a dependent student residing at home with parents'; 'a standard allowance that shall not be zero' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. According to the CFPB, landlords use tenant screening reports to decide whether to rent to you and how much to charge for a security deposit; those reports can include credit reports, rental history (including eviction actions and lawsuits), employment verification and criminal history; and you have a right to a free copy if you ask within 60 days of being denied housing.

   Sources 2 · What should I know about tenant screening when applying for rental housing?: 'Landlords use tenant screening reports'; 'rental history (including eviction actions and lawsuits)'; 'employment verification'; 'criminal history'; 'Your right to a free copy of that report if you make the request within 60 days of when the landlord denies you housing' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. According to the FTC, if a landlord rejects you or makes another negative decision because of your background report, you are entitled to an adverse action notice with the name, address and phone number of the report company; those negative decisions include requiring a cosigner, demanding a larger security deposit or charging more rent; the company must give you a free copy if you ask within 60 days; and it must investigate your dispute within 30 days.

   Sources 3 · Tenant Background Checks and Your Rights: 'a notice of the negative decision, called an "adverse action" notice'; 'requiring you to have a cosigner'; 'demanding you pay a larger security deposit'; 'charging you more for rent'; 'must give you a free copy of the report if you request it within 60 days'; 'Tenant background check companies must investigate your dispute within 30 days' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. According to the New York Attorney General's tenants' rights guide, in that state it is unlawful for a landlord to restrict occupancy of an apartment to the named tenant and immediate family; with a single-tenant lease, the tenant may share the apartment with immediate family, one additional occupant and that occupant's dependent children, if the tenant or the tenant's spouse lives there as a primary residence; and the tenant must tell the landlord the occupant's name within 30 days of the occupant moving in or of the landlord's request.

   Sources 4 · Residential Tenants' Rights Guide, 'Apartment Sharing': 'It is unlawful for a landlord to restrict occupancy of an apartment to the named tenant in the lease or to that tenant and immediate family'; 'share the apartment with immediate family, one additional occupant, and the occupant’s dependent children'; 'A tenant must inform the landlord of the name of any occupant within 30 days of the occupant moving into the apartment or 30 days of a landlord’s request for this information' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. According to the same New York guide, tenants in buildings with three or fewer apartments do not have a right to sublet, and tenants in buildings with four or more apartments have the right to sublet with the landlord's advance consent; the request is made in writing by certified mail, must include the written consent of any co-tenant or guarantor, and if the landlord does not respond within 30 days, consent is presumed.

   Sources 4 · Residential Tenants' Rights Guide, 'Subletting': 'Tenants in buildings with three or fewer apartments do not have a right to sublet'; 'Tenants in buildings with four or more apartments have the right to sublet with the landlord’s advance consent'; 'the written consent of any co-tenant or guarantor' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, renters insurance covers your belongings, even items stolen from your car or while traveling; pays the extra cost of food, rent and other things if you have to move out for a while; and protects you if someone is injured in your home, including legal costs if you are liable; the landlord's insurance will not cover your personal items; some landlords require a renters policy; these policies do not cover flood losses; a basic policy pays what each item is worth today, and one that covers replacement value costs more; and a home inventory helps you know whether you have enough coverage.

   Sources 5 · Renters insurance: 'Covers your belongings – even items stolen out of your car or while you're traveling'; 'Pays the extra cost of food, rental, and other things if you have to move out of your place for a short time'; 'Protects you if someone is injured in your home and pays legal costs if you are liable'; 'Your landlord's insurance won't cover your personal items'; 'Some landlords might require you to have a renters policy'; 'They don't cover losses due to floods'; 'a policy that will cover the replacement value of your items, but it will cost more'; 'Fill out a home inventory to know the value of your belongings' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. Under HUD's rule (24 CFR 5.612), no Section 8 assistance is provided to a person who is enrolled as a student at an institution of higher education, is under 24, is not a U.S. military veteran, is unmarried, has no dependent child, is not a person with disabilities who was already receiving Section 8 assistance on November 30, 2005, and is not individually eligible or has parents who, individually or jointly, are not income-eligible.

   Sources 6 · 24 CFR 5.612: 'No assistance shall be provided under section 8 of the 1937 Act to any individual who:'; (a) enrolled as a student at an institution of higher education; (b) 'Is under 24 years of age;'; (c) 'Is not a veteran of the United States military'; (d) unmarried; (e) no dependent child; (f) not a person with disabilities receiving section 8 assistance as of November 30, 2005; (g) 'has parents who, individually or jointly, are not eligible on the basis of income' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. Under the low-income housing tax credit law (26 U.S.C. 42(i)(3)(D)), a unit does not stop counting as low-income merely because it is occupied by a student receiving assistance under title IV of the Social Security Act, a student who was previously in state foster care or a person in a job training program, or because it is occupied entirely by full-time students who are single parents with their children (not dependents of someone else) or who are married and file a joint return.

   Sources 7 · 26 U.S.C. 42(i)(3)(D), 'Certain students not to disqualify unit': 'A unit shall not fail to be treated as a low-income unit merely because it is occupied'; 'a student and receiving assistance under title IV of the Social Security Act'; 'a student who was previously under the care and placement responsibility of the State agency'; 'enrolled in a job training program'; 'entirely by full-time students if such students are'; 'single parents and their children'; 'married and file a joint return' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. Under Regulation Z (12 CFR 1026.51(b)), a card issuer may not open a credit card account for a consumer under 21 unless the consumer has submitted a written application and the issuer has information showing an independent ability to make the minimum payments, or a cosigner, guarantor or joint applicant who is at least 21.

   Sources 8 · 12 CFR 1026.51(b)(1): 'may not open a credit card account under an open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit plan for a consumer less than 21 years old'; 'unless the consumer has submitted a written application and the card issuer has:'; 'Financial information indicating the consumer has an independent ability to make the required minimum periodic payments'; 'a cosigner, guarantor, or joint applicant who is at least 21 years old' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. According to the FTC, in rental scams the fake owner may say you can only secure the place with a wire transfer through Western Union or MoneyGram; wiring money, sending gift cards or paying with cryptocurrency is the same as sending cash; the fake owner usually claims to be out of the country; if anyone pressures you to decide quickly, walk away; get a copy of the contract before you send any deposit; and you can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

    Sources 9 · Rental Listing Scams: 'The fake owner might tell you can only secure the property with a wire transfer through Western Union or MoneyGram'; 'Wiring money, sending gift cards, or paying by cryptocurrency is the same as sending cash'; 'the fake owner will usually claim to be out of the country'; 'if anyone pressures you to make a decision quickly, walk away'; 'get a copy of the contract before you send any deposit money'; 'ReportFraud.ftc.gov' · Checked October 31, 2026