A rental application, or lease application, is a form used by landlords and real estate managers to secure a rental property.
It enables property managers to gather key details from prospective tenants, and make informed decisions when selecting the right tenant for their property.
Rental applications provide landlords with valuable information to evaluate prospective tenants.
This can include their qualifications, rental history, background checks, credit score, and suitability for the property.
Rental applications also ensure all applicants provide the same information and disclosures.
Doing so makes it easier for landlords to compare prospective tenants and make fair assessments.
Collecting the necessary information for background checks, credit checks as part of a rental agreement helps landlords comply with legal requirements.
For example, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against applicants based on race, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin.
A rental application typically includes the following sections to gather essential information from potential tenants.
Full name, phone number, email address, current address, date of birth, social security number or other identification details.
A driver’s license number and emergency contact information are also commonly requested.
Previous landlord(s) information, address information, rent payment history, and reasons for leaving previous rentals.
Current employment information, including the employer's name, position, monthly income, and duration of employment.
Previous employment history may be found on some rental applications.
Contact information for professional and personal references.
These will be expected to provide insights into the applicant's character and reliability.
To be eligible to rent their property, some landlords require potential tenants to meet a minimum credit score.
Questions regarding pets, vehicles, smoking preferences, criminal history, and any additional requirements or preferences of the landlord.
Yes, it’s common practice for landlords to request a rental application for each property a tenant wishes to apply for. This allows landlords and property managers to assess a tenant’s suitability for the specific rental property.
Along with the completed rental application, landlords may also require additional documents, such as proof of income, photo identification, rental references, and credit reports. It's best to make these clear to your prospective clients, to save time for all involved.
Some landlords or property management companies may charge an application fee to cover the cost of processing and screening applications. It's important to clarify this with the tenant beforehand.
Note that the legality of application fees can vary by state. In some places, there are limits on how much landlords can charge, and in others, application fees aren’t permitted.
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