Are you planning of making your business’ own residential rental application form? This particular document can be easily and effectively created if you will refer to reliable references. We have put together a set of templates and samples below which can be your document development guides as you try to create the best residential rental application form that your business can utilize.

47+ Sample Residential Rental Application Forms

What Is a Residential Rental Application Form?

“The Pew Research Center’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data shows that more U.S. households are renting than at any point in 50 years, with 36.6 percent of households renting their home.” (source: mysmartmove) If you want to rent a residential space, you have to keep in mind that you will most likely be assessed by landlords. Hence, it is important for you to be prepared for this matter. It is necessary for landlords to screen tenant applicants in the best way possible as the behavior, qualifications, and characteristics of tenants can affect the relationship that the landlord and the other tenants of the property will have with them. One of the documents used in a property’s screening process is a residential rental application form.

Ensuring that all tenants of the property went through a series of assessments before being accepted can make it easier for landlords to promote trust among all renters in the same property. However, this benefit is most applicable in spaces or properties where there are tenants sharing the same space or within different rooms in a single unit. If you are planning to rent a stand-alone unit, a residential rental application form is still necessary as this can help your landlord make sure that you are capable of paying the rent of the residential property within a given time period.

A residential rental application form is necessary to be used as this can enable landlords to make sure that prospective tenants or renters are qualified for the rent. Once you already have the initial draft of the residential rental application form, make sure that you will review the document before handing it to your applicants so you can have an output that is free from any errors and is of high quality. We recommend you to further look into the benefits of having a residential rental application form so you can appreciate its availability even more.

Basic Residential Rental Application Form Content

If you do not want to receive a rejection letter for rental application, it is imperative for you to ensure that your residential rental application form is informative, comprehensive, and well-detailed. You have to be particular with the basic information that is commonly found in the specific document so you can already prepare these items in mind prior to answering the application form. As a tenant applicant, you have to remember that it is also your responsibility to make sure that your potential landlord will have an excellent and completely-answered residential rental application form document coming from your end. Here are some of the details that you can usually see in a standard residential rental application form:

The name of the applicantThe date when the residential rental application form has been filledThe permanent address of the applicantThe contact details of the applicant which include his or her home phone number, e-mail address, and mobile numberThe tenancy history of the applicantThe information about the monthly salary or income of the applicant as well as other work-related mattersThe identification of the main reason or purpose of the rentThe criminal charges, bank issues, and other matters of concern; if there are anyThe specification of all the additional documents that the applicant needs to submit including valid identification cards, proof of employment, tenant recommendation letters, and the like
The list of the applicant’s personal referencesThe emergency contact details that the property may reach 

Things to Consider When Making a Detailed Residential Rental Application Form

Just like when developing a rental house inspection checklist, a rental agreement contract, or any other rental documents; it is essential for you to make sure that all the elements and variables necessary to be considered when making a residential rental application form are looked into and prioritized. Being able to be mindful of the things that you have to remember and the processes that you must undergo can make it easier for you to achieve the quality that you aspire to have for the residential rental application form that you will develop. Are you now preparing for the creation of a residential rental application form document? The major things that you have to consider when making a detailed residential rental application form include the following:

The ability of the residential rental application form’s content specifications to help you measure the credibility of your potential tenantsThe clarity of all the information that you would like to ask from the applicants who would like to rent a property that you are managingThe appropriate selection of document language which can enable your target audience to understand and relate to the documentThe proper formatting of the document’s layout which can help your residential rental application form to have an organized discussion flowThe identification of all the fees that the tenant needs to initially pay after the document has already been filled with necessary informationThe inclusion of relevant statements and reminders which can lay out all the residential rental application acceptance regulations and policies of the property

10 Steps for Writing the Best Residential Rental Application Form

Different residential rental documents are created in different manners depending on their purposes of usage and how these will be used by the property. Using a rental agreement format can help you have a well-developed and properly structured rental agreement document. The same goes when making a residential rental application form. However, having a template or a format guide is not the only solution that can result in the development of the best residential rental application form. It is important for you to be knowledgeable of the steps that can lead to the proper creation of the specific document. Here are ten steps that can guide you with the development of the best residential rental application form:

1Refer to a downloadable, printable, and editable residential rental application form template to begin the formatting of the document that you need.2Place your business header on top of the document followed by an identifiable document title.3Have an introduction about the processes of the rental application including the fees that the potential renter needs to pay.4Describe the property that the potential renter would like to lease including the facilities included in the rent, the condition of the property, and other related items.5Present the list of the rules, policies, and regulations that the potential renter must abide should he or she be accepted for the property rental.6Identify the desired or expected the length of the tenancy as well as the date in which the tenancy will take effect once approved.7Get all the information of the applicant or the potential renter which will be used for the residential rental application and background checking; like his or her employment status, personal background, and tenancy history.8Identify all the requirements for references and tenancy recommendations.9Leave a section or a content black for any additional information that the potential renter would like to specify.10Have a signature block where the landlord and the potential renter will affix their signatures as a sign of approval for all of the details and specifications listed in the document.

Benefits of Having a Residential Rental Application Form

Are you fully aware of the benefits that you can get if you will come up with an excellent residential rental application form? In comparison to a rental checklist and a roommate rental agreement form, a residential rental application form can also provide advantages to both the tenant and the landlord. Below are the benefits of having a residential rental application form.

A residential rental application form can help a landlord easily conduct an assessment of a prospective tenant who is applying for property rental: Using a residential rental application form can make it easier for landlords to gather the information that they need about a potential renter. A few pieces of information that are commonly asked in this document are aligned and related to the applicant’s tenancy history, employment background, and credit details.A the residential rental application form can promote a formal, professional, and credible brand for the property: Not all residential rental businesses provide a residential rental application form. Especially when renting residential condominiums, apartments, or shared-living spaces;  not having this document can provide an impression that not all tenants within the property are screened accordingly. This can then serve as a threat for the potential tenant’s safety and security. Hence, it is important for you to make a residential rental application form as this specific document can add formality and trustworthiness within the application transaction.A the residential rental application form can allow landlords to make a sound decision on whether an applicant should be allowed to rent the property: There are many factors that have to be considered during tenancy application approval or disapproval. With the help of all the content provided by the applicant in the residential rental application form, the landlord of a property can identify a number of elements that can lead to the proper making and implementation of decisions in relation to the rent application. Aside from the details that can be found in the residential rental application form, you have to keep in mind that certain state laws and regulations with regards to accepting or rejecting tenants must also be highly-considered.A the residential rental application form can present all the details that will be up for background check: Rather than interviewing an applicant for a number of times, handing him or her with a residential rental application form can be easier and more time-efficient. All the things that you would like to know, especially those which you think can affect the landlord-tenant relationship, must be listed in the residential rental application form. There should also be a disclaimer or a reminder within the document which can specify that all the information that the potential tenant will write are going to be keenly checked by the property’s management.

Dos and Don’ts for Developing a Comprehensive Residential Rental Application Form

During the processes of rental applications, one of the documents that are expected to be present and be given to applicants is a residential rental application form. If you are a potential tenant and you would like to sign a rental agreement in the future, you have to make sure that all the details that you will write in the residential rental application form are real and are aligned with the requirements of the property. If you are a landlord, make sure that you will refer to a number of tips that can help you create an outstanding document. Some of the guidelines for developing a comprehensive residential rental application form are as follows:

Do make sure that all the questions or inquiries in the residential rental application form are clearly specified so you can get the appropriate and proper answers from your potential tenant or renter.Do set the terms, scope, and limitations of the residential rental application form so you can assure your tenant that all the details in the specific document will be kept in private and will all be used for processes that are only deemed necessary for the rental application assessment.Do use a residential rental application form template that can help you effectively format the document output that you will hand to your prospective tenants.Do make your residential rental application form as comprehensive and as detailed as possible so you can make sure that the background checking processes and tenant assessment procedures that you will implement can be easily and efficiently done.Do clarify all the areas or clauses of your discussion especially if you will seek or request for fees that will be used for background checks and other essential processes prior to the prospective tenancy application approval.Do not write any promises on the residential rental application form document so you can make sure that you can set the proper expectations of your potential tenant.Do not make your residential rental application form too overwhelming which can be done if you will only include necessary, relevant, and direct-to-the-point details in the document’s content specifications.

Residential Rental Application Form FAQs

Do you want to ask any questions with regards residential rental application forms? Do not keep these questions hanging and try to seek for answers as fast as possible. You can maximize the usage of reliable resources or the availability of credible references so you can have all the answers that you need to know for the proper development of a residential rental application form document. Two of the frequently asked questions about residential rental application forms are listed and answered below.

Are there any essential items that you have to remember when making and/or using a residential rental application form?

If you are already convinced on the importance of a residential rental application form and you have already decided to create one for your business, you have to remember that a residential rental application form should be used for objective assessment. It is against the law for any property to use the specific document to discriminate an applicant because of his or her ethnicity or race, sexuality, nationality, beliefs, religion, age, and/or disabilities. There are still many limitations and guidelines on how a residential rental application form must be used to make sure that the decision on whether to accept or decline the application of an individual for property rental is fairly made.

How important is a residential rental application form?

A residential rental application form is very important as it allows landlords to initially have an idea about the behavior, background, character, and financial stability of a potential tenant. Aside from using the document for background and credit checks, it can also be optimized by screening the applicant’s ability to live harmoniously with other tenants, respect tenancy agreements, and follow the rented property’s rules and regulations.

Before you create a lease agreement; it is important for a residential rental application form to be made by a landlord, answered by a potential tenant, and approved by the property management first. If you need additional help when making the specific document, make sure to check out the samples and templates that are available in this post. All the downloadable references that you can browse through alongside the discussion above can enable you to come up with an excellent document that you can effectively use for any type of residential rental application process.