Young people getting by on their first paychecks may not realize how important it is to pay rent and pay it on time.
Establishing a good rent record gives you many future choices.
On the other hand, failure to pay rent can make it hard or even impossible to rent, even if you can afford it, and especially if you get evicted.
An eviction will follow a person for years on public records, making it extremely difficult to rent an apartment from an established landlord — even out of the area. Evictions can hurt your credit report, making it difficult to get a loan or a credit card.
Reliable tenants are in high demand. A tenant with a perfect rent record (and the references to prove it) can get the best apartments, and even sometimes negotiate security deposits.
