Short answer
It can. Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter (DU) system can use 12 months of rent payments, found on your credit report or in your bank statements, to help its credit assessment. At least one borrower must have rented for at least 12 months, paying $300 or more a month, and must have no mortgage on their credit report, a limited credit history, or no credit score. Rent history can only help, not hurt.
Who does this help the most?
Renters with a thin credit file get the most from it. If you have only a card or two, or no score at all, a year of steady rent shows the kind of habit a lender wants to see: a housing payment made every month. Buyers who already have a mortgage on their credit report don't qualify for this feature, because that history already shows how they handle a housing payment.
How does the lender find my rent payments?
If your landlord or a rent reporting service sends payments to the credit bureaus, DU can see them on your credit report. If not, the lender enters your monthly rent in the application and orders a report with 12 months of bank data through a Fannie Mae approved vendor. You confirm which account you pay rent from, and you must be an owner of that account. Payments by check or electronic transfer both show up. Rent paid in cash leaves no record, so it can't be counted this way.
Does FHA use rent history too?
Yes, now. HUD's Handbook 4000.1 lets a lender flag a positive rental payment history in FHA's automated review when the loan is a purchase, at least one borrower is a first-time homebuyer, the credit score used is 620 or higher, and a borrower has paid rent of $300 or more on time every month for the past 12 months. HUD counts a payment as on time if it's paid within the month it's due. To prove it, the lender needs your lease plus one of: a written verification from a landlord who isn't related to you, 12 months of canceled checks, 12 months of bank or payment app statements, or a reference from a property management company. If you rent from a family member, HUD requires the lease and 12 months of canceled checks or bank statements.
What if a month is missing?
Fannie Mae says it uses rent history only to help a borrower. If a month doesn't show, DU can't tell whether it was missed or paid another way, so a gap isn't treated as a late payment. Your landlord's name doesn't matter either.
What should I have ready?
- Your current monthly rent amount and how long you've rented.
- The bank account you pay rent from, with online access so the report can be pulled.
- Your lease, in case the lender asks.
If you have no credit score, see buying a home with no credit score for the other route Fannie Mae allows.
Sources
- HUD Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1, Update 18 (August 2026), Positive Rental Payment History (TOTAL)
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-2-03, Risk Factors Evaluated by DU (Rent Payment History)
- Fannie Mae, FAQs: Positive Rent Payment History in Desktop Underwriter
Checked November 2, 2026. Rules and dates change, so confirm current details before you rely on them.
General information only, not tax or legal advice. Program availability, eligibility and terms vary by lender and are subject to change and to underwriting approval. Not a commitment to lend.