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Home Real Estate Rental Application Rejection Letter

Rental Application Rejection Letter

A rental application denial letter is a document landlords must send when rejecting a prospective tenant.

Updated August 10, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

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.

Alternative Form

You can use our Rental Application Approval Letter if you decide to move forward with an applicant to live in your rental.

Table of Contents
  • What Is a Rental Application Rejection Letter?
  • How To Reject a Tenant’s Rental Application
  • What's in a Rejection Letter?
  • How to Write a Lease Application Rejection Letter
  • Rental Application Rejection Letter Sample
  • Frequently Asked Questions

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 the details about why the prospective tenant’s application is not considered and you have 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’s in a 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, you can check the two boxes on a standard template letter if the applicant lacked sufficient income and had a negative credit report.

IMPORTANT

A rental application denial letter should be part of every landlord’s rental inventory of legal real estate documents.

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 links the applicant to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 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 sender’s full name, current address, landlord, or rental property management company.

Step 2 – Fill Out the Date of the Letter

Write the date of the application rejection letter.

Step 3 – Enter the Recipient’s Information

Provide the full name and current address of the recipient, the applicant.

Step 4 – Enter the Property Address

Provide the complete street address of the rental property.

Step 5 – Provide a 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 a typical rental application denial letter.

rental application rejection letter

DOWNLOAD PDF
DOWNLOAD MS WORD

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Politely Reject a Prospective Tenant?

Our tenant rejection letter sample is an excellent example of how to reject an applicant politely. 

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 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. 

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 a document 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 the following:

  • A credit history check with the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Transunion, and Experian)
  • A criminal background check
  • An eviction check

Landlords can use the information on a rental background check to deny prospective tenants if the information sought and used adheres 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.

Related Landlords Documents

  • Background Check Authorization: Get permission to obtain and review a potential tenant's background and credit check with our tenant background check authorization form.
  • Rental Inspection Checklist: A rental inspection checklist documents the condition of your rental unit, and keeps the status of each room organized.
  • Lease/Rental Agreement: A lease agreement is a written document that officially recognizes a legally binding relationship between two parties -- a landlord and a tenant.
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