What is a residential rental application?

A residential rental application is a form utilized by landlords and property managers to assess possible tenants who show an interest in renting property. The basic contents of a residential rental application most often include, among other things, the applicant's personal information, the basic details of the property to be rented, whether or not the tenancy will be for a fixed term, the payment structure, and whether or not pets are allowed.

Why should I use a residential rental application?

One of the main reasons why a landlord might want to use a residential rental application is that it may provide a level of insulation from lawsuits alleging discrimination. If a landlord is accused of rejecting an application on the basis of racial, sexual, or any other form of prohibited discrimination, then the landlord will be able to show those applications that were approved without such discrimination.

What are the benefits of a residential rental application?

Good documentation is key for properly managing a rental property. A rental application can be an indispensable tool when evaluating multiple possible tenants because it allows the landlord to run credit and background checks. The landlord can then use this information to choose the correct applicant in a rational and non-discriminatory way.

Should I give the applicant a copy of the residential rental application?

In general, it is a good idea to provide a copy of the filled-out application to the applicant. The main benefit of doing this is that all parties will have access to the same information provided. This might come in handy if a dispute erupts at a later time. For example, if the parties do not agree on the accuracy of the information used for the approval of the application, all parties will be able to refer to their respective copies of the same application.

Can I choose to reject certain groups of people?

Although you are not obligated to rent to a person simply because they filled out your application, you must never discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. Federal or state law may include other prohibited forms of discrimination. Make sure to review any applicable laws or regulations on a regular basis in order to stay compliant with the law.

Residential Rental Application

Finding good, dependable tenants is the most important part of property management.

Our residential rental application form is designed to help you effectively screen applicants and can be easily tailored to your needs. The application also provides the proper legal basis for conducting a thorough investigation of the applicant, including rental history and income verification. Start now to create your custom rental application form in just minutes.

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When to use a residential rental application

When the landlord wants to perform a background check on possible renters
When the landlord wants to keep an up-to-date record of all past applicants
When details need to be defined, such as the rent's payment structure
When a landlord needs to choose a renter from multiple candidates

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The right way to choose your next tenant

Easily create a residential rental application tailored to your needs.

Foster reasonable expectations

This application will define the most important aspects of the rental agreement that will follow.

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Define the key terms of your agreement

By defining clear terms and details, this application will help prevent unnecessary confusion.

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How to create a residential rental application in 3 steps

Gather Information

As you complete your residential rental application, you will need to provide certain relevant information. This includes both the applicant’s and the landlord’s business addresses and current emails. You will also need all information related to the rental property as well as the applicable payment arrangement.

Answer Key Questions

Use the information you collected to complete your residential rental application. We make this easy by guiding you each step of the way and helping you to customize your document to match your specific needs. As you answer certain questions, the document will adjust to accommodate your needs.

Review

Always read your document thoroughly to ensure it contains everything you need and is free of errors. In any case, once you finish creating your document, you will be able to alter it as much as you like in Microsoft Word. However, if you do not need to make any changes, you can simply download the PDF version.

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