Must-Haves to Include in Your Rental Application Form 

The rental application form is one of the first and most important steps in the rental process. It’s a key part of the screening process and helps landlords make informed decisions about applicants. 

Tenant screening is one of the best ways for landlords to avoid bad rental outcomes like unpaid rent, property damage, and evictions. In most cases, the rental application form is the first step in that process.

To help make your screenings go smoothly, here’s a look at why the rental application form is so important and must-haves to include in your application. 

Ready to start your screening? All you need is an applicant’s name and email address to send them a free online rental application. 

What Is a Rental Application Form? 

A rental application form is a document landlords use to help screen applicants and select qualified tenants for a rental vacancy. It’s a way for landlords to gather key information from an applicant and prepare for the next steps of the screening. 

The application collects information like: 

• Background and contact information
• Financial information 
• Rental history 
• References
• All occupants and co-applicants
• Pets
• Authorizations to run screenings

By gathering this information, the rental screening form allows landlords to: 

• Learn key information about an applicant
• Make informed decisions about applicants
• Efficiently weed out applicants who aren’t a good fit for the rental unit – for example, applicants who have pets and are applying for a pet-free rental
• Obtain the necessary information to run a complete tenant screening report
• Conduct a legal landlord application process that fairly and consistently evaluates the same information from all applicants

Why a Complete Rental Application Matters

When searching for a tenant, one of the first things landlords should look for is a complete housing application. It can be a major red flag if a tenant leaves out information. 

Landlords should not make screening decisions until a prospective tenant submits a complete rental application. A complete rental application form allows Landlords to: 

• Gather the necessary information to make informed rental decisions
• Identify red flags early in the screening process to avoid wasted time and resources on unqualified applicants
• Get required authorizations to legally run a complete screening report, including a credit check, criminal history background check, credit score or ResidentScore, and eviction history report. 
• Ensure all applicants are treated fairly and in compliance with applicable fair housing laws
• Avoid bad rental outcomes by selecting an unqualified applicant who has a history of evictions, property damage, or unpaid rent
• Have documentation if disputes arise about tenant selection
• Set the right tone for the landlord-tenant relationship by showing the applicant that you’re professional, thorough, and take your job as a landlord seriously. 

If an applicant submits an incomplete application, don’t assume it’s just an unimportant omission. As a landlord, you should collect a complete rental screening form from every applicant and only consider applicants who have submitted a complete form. 

Essential Information Every Rental Application Form Should Include

There are a few things that every occupancy application should include: 

1. Personal information. This includes full name, birthday, phone number, email address, current address, and driver’s license number. 
2. Rental history. Landlords should collect addresses for the past 3-5 years. For each prior address, get the name and contact information for the landlord. You should also get the dates the applicant lived at each address and the reason for leaving. 
3. Employment information. Gather information about the applicant’s current employer, including the applicant’s position and monthly income. You also want to ask for the name and contact information of a manager for employment verification. It’s best to get employment history for at least two prior years. You should also ask for income verification through either pay stubs, W-2s, or bank statements. 
4. Background questions. A good screening form asks a few yes or no questions to get some information about the applicant’s background. This includes questions about prior evictions, felonies, bankruptcies, and bad rental outcomes. 
5. Occupant information. The application should ask for the names of all other prospective occupants or co-applicants. Every applicant who is 18 or older should complete an application and be thoroughly screened. 
6. Pet information. Ask if the applicant has any pets and the type, breed, and size of each pet. You want to include this question even if your rental does not allow pets.
7. Vehicles. Gather information about the applicant’s vehicles, including make, model, year, and license plate number. 
8. Financial information. Gather information about credit cards and bank accounts. While the credit check will provide more insight into the applicant’s financial history, it’s helpful to have this information at the outset. This ensures you’re only running reports on qualified applicants. Plus, it’s helpful to compare the information an applicant self-reports to the information documented on the credit report. 
9. References. It’s vital to contact prior landlords and the applicant’s current employer. For additional insight about an applicant, get the name and contact information for 2-3 references. 
10. Consent for screening checks. To make the process efficient for applicants and landlords, use the rental application to get the necessary authorizations to check references, run screening reports, and gather vital background information. The authorizations should clearly state what reports or information you’ll be gathering. 
11. Application fee. If you charge an application fee, your application should include information about the fee, including the amount, whether or not it’s refundable, and what it covers. 

Common Mistakes Landlords Make in Rental Applications

Without a good rental app and screening process, landlords can make costly mistakes that result in disputes, legal issues, fines, expenses, property damage, and evictions.  

Some of the most common landlord mistakes are: 

• Violating fair housing laws, including the Fair Housing Act
• Rushing the screening process
• Skipping steps in the screening process
• Not keeping thorough records of all screening forms and rental documents 
• Not screening all occupants over the age of 18 
• Failing to contact tenant references, including at least two prior landlords
• Not verifying income 
• Skipping employment verification
• Running screening reports without written consent, in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
• Not having a consistent screening process that’s applied to all applicants

The best way to avoid these mistakes is to have an established screening process that you use with every applicant. Create your screening steps and rental requirements before filling a vacancy. Go through all steps with every applicant. 

Using a trusted rental application template and screening service reduces the risk of mistakes and makes the process as easy as possible for landlords. 

Tips for Creating a Tenant-Friendly Application Process

As a landlord, you want the screening process to be smooth and easy for applicants. This helps:

• Attract and retain the most qualified applicants
• Establish good landlord-tenant relationships
• Minimize disputes from rejected applicants

Some of the best ways to create a tenant-friendly application process are: 

1. Have clear and objective rental requirements
2. Be transparent about your screening procedures 
3. Apply criteria consistently and fairly to all applicants
4. Make it easy for the applicant to complete the process – for example, online forms and services
5. Have reasonable application fees and be transparent about them from the outset
6. Complete the landlord application process in a timely manner
7. Communicate with the applicant – providing necessary updates and answering any questions the applicant has
8. Keep records of all screening reports in case disputes arise

Send an Online Rental Application Now 

All you need is an applicant’s name and email address to send a free paperless rental application or tenant screening request. In one easy step you can run a complete screening, including the rental application, credit report, background check, ResidentScore, and eviction history.

Plus, you can opt to have the applicant pay. This avoids collecting an application fee and gives you all the screening information for free. 

Ready to get started? Visit ezLandlordForms to send a screening request or viewing sample screening reports.