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Rental Application

Rental application that collects contact details, income, employer and references, with consent to screening checks. Preview free, plans from $2.99/month.

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A rental application collects the same facts from every applicant (who they are, what they earn, where they have rented) and their written consent to screening, so you can compare applicants on the same criteria.

What's Included in Our Rental Application

Applicant

  • Full legal name
  • Email and phone
  • Current address

Rental Sought and History

  • Property address and unit
  • Desired move-in date and lease term
  • Previous landlord or manager and their phone
  • Previous rental address

Employment & Income

  • Employment status
  • Monthly gross income
  • Employer or income source
  • Employer phone and job title (optional)

Consent and Signature

  • Consent to credit, background and rental-history checks
  • Equal housing opportunity acknowledgement
  • Certification that the answers are accurate
  • Signature and date

Tenant Screening Best Practices

For effective tenant screening, follow these steps:

  1. Collect Complete Applications: Require all fields to be completed
  2. Verify Income: Request pay stubs or bank statements (2-3x rent)
  3. Check Credit: Review credit score and payment history
  4. Contact References: Speak with previous landlords directly
  5. Run Background Check: With proper authorization
  6. Verify Employment: Confirm job status and income

Applicants can use our Tenant Screening Score Calculator to see how their income, credit, and rental history compare with commonly cited guidelines before they apply.

Fair Housing Compliance

When processing rental applications, remember that you cannot discriminate based on:

  • Race or color
  • National origin
  • Religion
  • Sex or gender
  • Familial status
  • Disability

Many states and localities have additional protected classes. Apply the same screening criteria to all applicants.

Frequently asked questions

  • The applicant's name, email, phone and current address; the property, unit, desired move-in date and lease term; monthly gross income, employer or income source and, optionally, employer phone and job title; a previous landlord and their phone; and signed consent to credit, background and rental-history checks with a certification that the answers are accurate. It does not ask for a Social Security number: consent to a consumer report goes on the separate tenant screening authorization.

  • Yes, landlords can charge application fees in most states to cover the cost of credit and background checks. Some states limit fees. In California the fee may not exceed the landlord's actual screening costs, and in no case more than $30 per applicant, adjusted annually for inflation since January 1, 1998 (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.6(b)). In New York a landlord may charge only for a background check and credit check, capped at the actual cost of those checks or $20, whichever is less, and must waive it if the applicant provides a check run within the past 30 days (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1)(b)). The fee should cover actual screening costs and is typically non-refundable.

  • Landlords can ask about rental history, income, employment, credit, criminal background (with limitations), and references. They cannot ask about race, religion, national origin, familial status, disability, sex, or other protected classes under Fair Housing laws.

  • It depends on the landlord and on the screening company used. Some states and cities set deadlines for responding to applicants or for returning fees; check the rules where the property is.

  • Yes, landlords can deny applications for legitimate reasons including: insufficient income (typically requiring 2-3x monthly rent), poor credit history, negative rental references, criminal history (with limitations), or incomplete/inaccurate information. Denials cannot be based on protected class status.

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