Rental application template
The application is your screening policy written down. Ask everyone the same questions in the same order, and a fair-housing complaint becomes a document you can hand over.
Rental application
Questions asked
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07
- 08
- 09
- 10
Preview
RENTAL APPLICATION
Property : 1412 Ashgrove Ave, Unit 2
Rent : $1850 per month Deposit: $1850
Fee : $45 per adult applicant, non-refundable
Income : gross monthly income of at least 2.5 x rent
01. Full legal name, date of birth, and current address
____________________________________________
02. Two most recent addresses with landlord name and phone
____________________________________________
03. Employer, position, length of service, supervisor contact
____________________________________________
04. Gross monthly income and the documents you will provide
____________________________________________
05. Other occupants over 18 (each files a separate application)
____________________________________________
06. Pets: type, weight, age (service animals are not pets)
____________________________________________
07. Vehicles to be parked on site
____________________________________________
08. Emergency contact
____________________________________________
09. Have you ever been party to an eviction action? If yes, explain.
____________________________________________
10. Authorisation to obtain a consumer report and verify the above
____________________________________________
By signing, I certify the information is true and authorise M. Reyes to obtain a consumer report for the purpose of evaluating this application. I understand that a decision based on that report entitles me to an adverse action notice naming the reporting agency.
Applicant signature __________________ Date __________Never ask about race, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or the nature of a disability. Ask what everyone is asked, in the same order, every time.
What you may and may not ask
You may ask about income, employment, rental history, occupancy and pets. You may not ask about race, colour, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability — including the nature or severity of a disability. You may ask whether an applicant can meet the terms of the tenancy; you may not ask why they might not.
| Ask | Do not ask |
|---|---|
| Gross monthly income and proof | Source of income where prohibited locally |
| Whether pets will live in the unit | Whether an assistance animal is a "real" pet |
| Number of occupants over 18 | Whether an applicant is pregnant or has children |
| Prior landlord contact details | Country of origin or first language |
Assistance animals are not pets. A pet policy, a pet fee and a weight limit do not apply to them, and asking for the diagnosis behind one is itself a violation.
Consent, the report, and the notice if you decline
A tenant screening report is a consumer report. You need written authorisation before you pull it, and if you decline the applicant, raise the deposit or add a co-signer because of it, the FCRA (15 U.S.C. § 1681m, checked 2026-09-04) requires you to give an adverse action notice — orally, in writing or electronically — naming the agency and telling the applicant of their rights to a free copy and to dispute it.
The workflow in full, including what to do with an incomplete report, is in the tenant screening guide.
The application fee
- Several states cap it, and several require a receipt and an accounting of what it was spent on.
- A few require refunding the unused portion if you do not run the screening.
- Charging per adult applicant is standard; charging per household is not.
- If you take fees from more applicants than you could possibly house, expect the question.
Compare what the screening itself actually costs in free tenant screening services before you set the number.
Related in the binder
