Free Rental Application Form

As a landlord, a rental application serves many purposes. Using this form ensures you can compare potential tenants and find the best renter for your property. Ultimately, you should use a rental property to protect your financial interests and your rental space. The benefits of using a rental application form include:

• Protecting your property: A tenant’s application shows their reliability and provides information about how they treated their previous rentals. Selecting a tenant with a good rental history ensures they will care for your property.

• Ensuring your tenant pays: Verifying a tenant’s employment and income ensures they can make regular payments. Additionally, credit score information confirms their ability to pay on time.

• Finding the right fit: With a rental application, you learn about the tenant’s habits and lifestyle. You may ask their previous landlords about noise complaints, behaviors, and reliability to find a good fit for your property.

A rental application is a key part of the tenant screening process. It provides you with the information necessary to verify and evaluate your potential tenants. Follow the steps below to screen tenants with a rental application.

1. Gather Candidate Responses

The first step in screening tenants is to send out the rental application and gather their responses. When sending the application, ensure you provide a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Disclosure. This lets them know you plan to check and use their credit report information in your decision-making process.

In addition, collect the application fee. This fee covers some of the costs associated with processing applications and verifications. Some states limit the amount landlords can charge for a rental application.

2. Verify the Applicant’s Identity

As part of the application process, ask each candidate to supply a copy of their government-issued photo ID. This can include their driver’s license or passport. This ensures that the name and information provided on the application are correct. Verifying their identities can help you avoid common tenant scams. Also, ask tenants to provide any other legal names they’ve used in the past, as this may help with credit and background checks.

3. Perform a Credit Check

A credit check gives you an idea of the applicant’s credit score, debt history, and payment records. This information provides insight into the tenant’s ability to make regular, on-time rent payments. Ask for the applicant’s social security number and have them provide a written consent for a credit check. With the proper information and consent, you can perform a credit check through online services, such as RentPrep.

4. Check Their Rental History

In addition to checking credit history, verify a tenant’s rental history. On the application, ask for contact information from their most recent landlords. You can reach out to these landlords to get an idea of the applicant’s past behaviors, payments, and treatment of the property. Consider asking the following questions:

• Did this tenant have any issues or missed payments?
• Was the tenant evicted? What was the reason for the eviction?
• Did the neighbors have any complaints about the tenant?
• What condition did they leave the property in?

5. Verify Employment and Income

Double-check the tenant’s employment and income information. You can verify this information by requesting recent pay stubs or W-2 tax forms. Also, consider reaching out to their listed employer and asking them to complete an employment verification form. For self-employed applicants, ask for a copy of their 1040 tax forms as income documentation.

Ensure that their reported income meets any requirements for your rental property. Generally, landlords require a monthly income equal to three times the monthly rent.

6. Check the Tenant’s Legal Records

In addition to checking their identity, financials, and rental history, look into the candidate’s legal records. Start by looking at the National Sex Offender Public Website. You can also use online services, such as court databases, to check for past evictions or arrests. Make sure to obtain a background check authorization form from the tenant before starting your screening.

7. Choose Your Desired Tenant

After you’ve screened the tenants, compile the information and evaluate your choices. Research which credit score ranges are good for renters, and look for common green flags on rental applications. Your desired or minimum credit score for tenants can vary depending on the location, size, and price of your property. On average, renters’ credit scores fall into one of these ranges:

• 670+: 670 or more is a very good credit score. Candidates with this score are at or above the national average.
• 601 to 660: This is regarded as a fair score. Most tenants may be in this range, especially since most renters don’t have a mortgage history to boost their scores.
• 300 to 580: Often, candidates in this category are seen as having financial challenges or trouble making payments.

Pick your desired renter and send an approval letter. You can also send rejection letters to any applicants who weren’t approved. After you send the approval, collect your security deposit. You may also provide information about next steps, such as arranging utilities, setting a move-in date, and discussing landlord access. Once you’ve settled the necessary terms and paperwork, both parties can sign the lease agreement.

Fair Housing Laws

When selecting your desired tenant, remember to follow the protections provided by the Fair Housing Act. This act states that landlords cannot discriminate against tenants or offer favorable treatment to one potential tenant over another based on any of the following factors:

• Race
• Color
• National Origin
• Religion
• Sex
• Familial Status
• Disability

Other protections include the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which requires landlords to make and allow reasonable accommodations or modifications for tenants with disabilities. In addition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has stated that discrimination based on gender expression and sexual orientation is prohibited as part of sex discrimination.