It depends on how the landlord handled it: a collection is manageable, a court judgment is the serious version. If the landlord or property manager only sent the unpaid balance to collections, treating it as a charge-off, the item behaves like any other collection on your file, a less severe issue. If they went to court and won a judgment, that judgment becomes a public record a lender can see, in the same category as a bankruptcy or foreclosure. A public record can stay on your file for up to 10 years and can sometimes trigger a longer waiting period before you qualify. A lender does read a judgment as a negative, but a judgment is not an automatic denial, and the outcome does not necessarily hinge on which loan program you use. What you have done since, and whether the item is resolved, matter more. The path forward: - Settle or satisfy the judgment if one exists. A resolved item is far easier to overcome than an open one. - Rebuild a clean recent payment history so underwriting sees stability after the event. - Talk to a lender early so you know whether any waiting period applies to your situation. Waiting periods and how each program weighs public records change, so confirm the current guidelines for the loan you are pursuing.