Positive rental payment records can now help would-be home buyers

 

According to Fannie Mae, rent is the largest recurring monthly expense that many households pay. Until now, a person’s good history of paying for home rental has not counted toward a better credit score.

As of April 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have officially updated their guidelines to allow on-time rental payments to be considered in mortgage applications to help borrowers qualify for home loans. Both Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC) are government-sponsored enterprises that buy mortgages from lenders to support liquidity and stability in the housing market.  Fannie Mae typically works with large commercial banks; Freddie Mac works with smaller lenders. Fannie Mae and Fredddie Mac to not issue original loans – they purchase  qualified loans from other sources.

Now, with positive rent payment reporting, on-time rent payments can help renters establish, maintain or boost their credit score, potentially improving their mortgage acess when trying to buy a home. This policy from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), is designed to assist renters with smaller credit files or lower credit scores with 12 months of consistent, on-time rental payments as a positive indicator of creditworthiness

Rent payment reporting by property owners may help improve your credit, which could make it easier to qualify for more affordable financing options when applying for loans for things like a car, starting a small business, borrowing for education, or accessing housing.

Launched in 2006, VantageScore was developed and is managed by managed by a joint venture company owned by the three major nationwide consumer reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.  The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) now requires VantageScore information for loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Positive rent reporting can also benefit multifamily property owners and single family lenders.

For more information on the various advantages of positive rent reporting, start here.