A Rental Application Rejection Letter is a professional and polite document to send to potential tenants to inform them that you decline their application to lease.
Landlords or property managers send this letter with the reason or reasons why they do not accept the applicant as a renter.
There are many ways to communicate a tenant denial, but a rental application rejection letter is best and you can write one using our template.
What Is a Rental Application Rejection Letter?
A rental application rejection letter is a document that explains why you reject the applicant as a future renter.
Also known as a tenant denial letter, this document protects the landlord or property manager against allegations of unfair denials. Using this form letter (which you can customize) is a good practice.
The rental application rejection letter should include all of the details about why the prospective tenant’s application is not under consideration and you have, in fact, denied it.
Some of the most common reasons include the following:
- Inadequate gross income. A good rule is that the prospective tenant’s income should be three times the rent.
- Inaccurate or incomplete application. This may have been a mistake by the applicant, but if a landlord cannot resolve it with a follow-up or if the application is fraudulent, property owners can send a tenant rejection letter.
- Poor credit history. This is one of the most common reasons for a rental application denial letter. Under federal law, applicants have a right to receive copies of the credit report and to dispute the accuracy or completeness of information in the report.
- Miscellaneous reasons. The landlord may have other reasons to reject an applicant, such as a history of previous evictions or negative references. As long as they are not invalid, you may include them in your rejection letter as reasons for the denial.
How To Reject a Tenant’s Rental Application
The question of how to deny a renter’s application is always a touchy one for landlords.
Your rental application rejection letter should be courteous and informative, and contain the reasons for the rejection. It should also be apologetic but firm.
A sample denial letter for a rental application will include the date of application, the property address, the reasons for the rejection, any supporting documents (for instance, a copy of their credit report), and a polite apology.
You should send the denial letter promptly. The prospective tenant is on a schedule and wants your answer as soon as possible. They will appreciate a response, even if it is negative.
What is in a Rental Application Rejection Letter?
A rental application denial template can make your rejection process easier. You can customize this form using our builder.
You may want to tailor the rejection letter to your needs, but a standard template contains the most common reasons for rejecting a tenant application.
To fill in a rental application denial letter template, write the addresses for yourself and the applicant and check the appropriate boxes that apply to the situation.
For example, on a standard template letter, you can check the two boxes if the applicant lacked sufficient income and had a negative credit report.
Our tenant rejection letter template also includes the process for applicants to dispute any inaccuracies in their credit reports. This is helpful (and some jurisdictions’ laws require it) if tenants’ credit ratings, for example, contributed to the denial.
Some state laws also require landlords and property managers to provide rejected tenants with a copy of their credit reports or credit scores.
A good tenant denial letter provides a link to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the applicant if they need further information on why the landlord rejected their application.
How to Write a Lease Application Rejection Letter
Follow the steps below to write a lease or rental application rejection letter.
Step 1 – Enter Sender’s Information
Provide the full name and current address of the sender, the landlord or the rental property management company.
Step 2 – Fill Out Date of Letter
Write the date of the application rejection letter.
Step 3 – Enter Recipient’s Information
Provide the full name and current address of the recipient, the applicant.
Step 4 – Enter Property Address
Provide the full street address of the rental property.
Step 5 – Provide Reason Letter
Select the reason(s) the landlord or manager denied the rental application, or enter any other reasons not already provided.
Step 6 – Enter Landlord’s Contact Information.
Provide the landlord’s phone number and email address.
Step 7 – Signature
The landlord signs the rejection letter.
Rental Application Rejection Letter Sample
Below is an example of what a typical rental application denial letter looks like.
Rental Application Rejection Letter Sample
Lease- Rental Application Rejection Letter download_friendlyTenant Denial Letter Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do You Politely Reject a Prospective Tenant?
Our tenant rejection letter sample is a good example of how to politely reject an applicant. It is never easy to turn someone down, but the best way is to send a written letter explaining the reasons with clear language. Providing an alternative or method of correcting the issue can sometimes help.
Can a Landlord Refuse to Rent to Someone?
A landlord can refuse to rent to a prospective tenant for fair and legitimate reasons. The reasons given in the sample rejection letter for rental application are all legal reasons for rejecting a tenant. A landlord cannot refuse to rent to an applicant based on their race, religion, national origin, age, gender identity, familial status, sexual orientation, or disability. A landlord also cannot refuse to rent for arbitrary reasons. For instance, they cannot deny someone because they have too many piercings or weird tattoos. When you need a rental application denial letter template or any other rental application form, visit our document library. We have every template you need to make renting and researching your tenants easy.
What Does a Rental Background Check Form Consist Of and Can I Use One to Deny a Tenant?
The rental application background check form is an authorization form that an applicant provides to the landlord or property manager so that their credit history, and sometimes their criminal background, can be checked. A typical rental background check contains: Landlords can use the information on a rental background check to deny prospective tenants if the information sought and used adhere’s to federal and state anti-discrimination laws. In states such as California, the prospective tenant can request copies of all these reports or opt-out if they choose.