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Rental application form

rental application form

Are you a real estate agent or property management company looking for an efficient way to screen potential tenants? The rental application form is designed specifically for you.

This comprehensive list of questions will help you collect essential information on applicants' rental history, employment details, rental preferences, and references. You'll have everything you need to make informed decisions and find the perfect tenants for your properties.

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Questions to include on your rental application form

1. Applicant Information

Collect personal information about the applicant to establish their identity and contact details.

  • Full Name
  • Email Address
  • Phone Number
  • Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)

2. Rental History

Gather information about the applicant's previous rental experiences to evaluate their suitability as a tenant.

  • Current Address
  • Length of Time at Current Address (Years, Months)
  • Reason for Leaving Current Address
  • Previous Address (If applicable)
  • Length of Time at Previous Address (Years, Months)
  • Reason for Leaving Previous Address

3. Employment Information

Understanding the applicant's employment situation helps assess their ability to consistently pay rent.

  • Employer Name
  • Job Title
  • Length of Employment (Years, Months)
  • Monthly Income ($)

4. Rental Preferences

Determine the applicant's rental preferences, such as property type, location, and move-in date.

  • Preferred Property Type (Apartment, House, Studio, Condo, Other)
  • Desired Rental Location
  • Preferred Move-In Date
  • Number of Occupants (including applicant)
  • Do you have any pets? (Yes, No)

5. References

References provide additional insight into the applicant's reliability and trustworthiness as a tenant.

  • Reference Name
  • Relationship to Applicant
  • Reference Contact Number
  • Reference Email Address

6. Additional Information

Give the applicant an opportunity to provide any relevant additional information.

  • Is there any additional information you would like to provide?

Asking for rental history and employment information helps evaluate the applicant's financial stability and ability to meet rental obligations. References offer additional insights to support the decision-making process.

Other question ideas

When you are creating your rental application form, here are some additional questions you may want to consider. These won't apply in every case, but should give you some ideas as you build out your form.

  • Have you ever broken a lease or been evicted from a rental property? (Yes, No)

    • This question helps identify potential issues with the applicant's rental history that may not have been disclosed previously.
      • Understanding the applicant's preferred communication style can improve the relationship between the tenant and the landlord or property manager.

    • How would you rate your level of cleanliness and tidiness? (1-5, with 1 being very untidy and 5 being very tidy)

      • This question provides insight into the applicant's habits and how well they will maintain the property.

    • Are you a smoker? (Yes, No)

      • The applicant's smoking status may affect the property's maintenance and the comfort of other tenants in shared spaces.

    • Do you have renter's insurance or are you willing to obtain it? (Yes, No)

      • Renter's insurance indicates that the applicant understands their responsibilities as a tenant and is prepared to cover potential damages or loss.

    • Have you ever been convicted of a crime? (Yes, No)

      • This question gives the applicant an opportunity to disclose any criminal history that may be relevant to their tenancy.

    • Are there any specific amenities or features you're looking for in a rental property?

      • By understanding the applicant's preferences, the real estate agent or company can better match them with suitable properties.

    • How did you hear about this rental property? (Online listing, Friend/Referral, Social Media, Signage, Other)

      • This question provides valuable marketing insights for the real estate agent or company, helping them improve their advertising strategies.

    Remember to always respect applicants' privacy and ensure that you are in compliance with local laws and regulations when asking for personal information.

Things to consider

  1. Mobile Responsiveness - Ensure that your form is easily accessible and user-friendly on various devices (smartphones, tablets, desktops) to accommodate all applicants and make the process seamless.
  2. Privacy and Security - Collecting personal information requires that you adhere to privacy regulations (such as GDPR) and protect the data from unauthorized access. Securely store the information and only share it with authorized parties.
  3. Progress Indicators - To make the form-filling experience less daunting, consider adding a progress bar or visual indicators to show users how much of the form they have completed, and how much is left.
  4. Required Fields - Clearly mark required fields so that applicants know which information is mandatory. This prevents confusion and reduces the chances of incomplete submissions.
  5. Form Field Validation - Implement real-time form field validation to help users catch mistakes early and ensure accurate data submission. For example, check if an email address is in a valid format before allowing the user to proceed.
  6. Helpful Tooltips - Include tooltips or help text for fields where users might require additional guidance on how to fill out the information. This can prevent misinterpretations and improve the quality of the data collected.
  7. Save and Resume Later - Provide an option for applicants to save their progress and continue later, in case they are unable to complete the form in one sitting. This will prevent users from losing their data and improve the overall user experience.

How to create your rental application form

Now that you know what questions you should include, it's time to build your form!

The only problem is that traditional forms tools are inefficient.

People will forget to fill out your form. They'll get stuck halfway and not be able to finish it. Or they'll send you the wrong stuff. You end up wasting hours chasing people down over email. 

That's why you should give Content Snare a try. 

Content Snare is packed with advanced features that will have you hours:

  • Automatic reminders - Remind people to complete their form with fully customizable reminders.
  • Reject incorrect information - If a single question is filled out incorrectly, ask your client to re-do just that one item.
  • Autosaving - No progress gets lost. People can fill out forms in multiple sittings.
  • Comments and questions - If the person filling the form gets stuck, they can ask a question without having to email you.

Give it a go by signing up for your free 14-day trial. 

Get the information you need without chasing people

Content Snare is the stress-free way to get information from anyone. Break free of your inbox and reclaim your time. Let Content Snare chase your clients for you.
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