Landlords want to protect their rental property. The easiest way to do that is to use a good rental application form. Standard rental application forms from an office supply store may be adequate in some cases, but if the landlord wants to get more answers or more in-depth responses, they may need to add more questions for prospective tenants to answer.
The Basic Rental Application Form
Beginning with a standard rental application form is a good place to start when writing a rental application form. The introductory basics are the same: the applicant's name, current address, home and work phone numbers and/or email addresses, social security number, and date of birth.
The next area landlords are curious about is the prospective tenant's residency. Specifically, the following information is needed: current address, how long living at this address, rent amount paid per month, and the reason for moving. This same information may be requested for the previous address.
Data on each prospective renter's job history is another standard part of the rental application form. Requesting the current occupation, employer, how long employed, supervisor's name and phone number, and gross income per month, are essential to judging the economic viability of prospective tenants.
References are included on all standard rental application forms.
Tailoring the Rental Application Form to Get More Information
Landlords can elect to tailor the rental application form legally as long as each prospective tenant is required to complete the same application. Choosing prospective renters based on their answers to the same questions is legally required. This eliminates any discrimination or bias.
Including a line for drivers license number allows the landlord to screen tenants for any vehicular violations. This factor shows responsibility and lawfulness behind the wheel.
Landlords may want to go back five or ten years on each would-be tenant's residency. Writing their own rental application form allows landlords to provide as many blank spaces for this information as are needed. Also requesting information on anyone who lives with the tenant, however temporary, may be desired and can be included on the rental application form.
Requesting additional job history or salary information is a key portion of a detailed rental application form. Landlords may ask all prospective tenants to list other sources of income, including part time or seasonal jobs, and alimony or child support, to make an informed decision about the tenant's ability to pay the rent.
Landlords may request the following information from all prospective tenants: if they have ever filed bankruptcy, been evicted from a rental property, been convicted of a felony, and vehicle make and model and license plate number.
Deciding on a Tenant Using Evaluation Criteria
Landlords are responsible for making fair choices in renting their property. They may include a statement, such as:
Rental applications will be processed in the sequence received. The first applicant meeting the landlord's criteria will be offered the unit to rent.
Then listing the criteria the landlord will use provides prospective tenants with full disclosure about what the landlord will use to screen all would-be tenants.
Using the Rental Application Form
Being a landlord is a responsibility as well as a business. Providing a clean, safe apartment or house to a tenant is the landlord's duty. Using a comprehensive rental application form allows landlords to choose a tenant that best meets the criteria important to them to rent their property to.
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