The Rental Application: Questions, Red Flags, and Templates

Running a full tenant screening report is an important part of the rental application process, but it doesn't replace the traditional rental application form.

Your rental application form is essential to help you gather vital information, spot red flags early, and collect information that is not gathered in a screening report, like information on the applicant's pets, smoking status, proof of income, and landlord references.

In this article, we’ll walk through what you should include in your rental application, what to look out for in the application responses, and how to simplify the process with Landlord Studio. 

Why a Rental Application Matters

A strong rental application helps you:

• Pre-qualify potential tenants
• Save time screening unqualified renters
• Document your rental criteria (in case of disputes)
• Stay compliant with Fair Housing laws
• Begin building a digital paper trail

Whether you're managing one property or several, having a standardized process ensures every applicant is treated fairly and consistently. Set fair screening criteria and apply these criteria equally to all applicants.

You can easily collect rental applications online using Landlord Studio. Learn more →

What to Include in a Rental Application

Your rental application should aim to collect all the essential tenant information up front so you can quickly and effectively assess which applicants meet your minimum tenant screening criteria and that you’d like to pursue the next steps with.

Personal Information

• Full name, phone number, email
• Date of birth
• Government-issued photo ID

Employment & Income

• Current employer, position, and duration
• Monthly income
• Employer contact info for references
• Proof of income (pay stub or bank statements)

Rental History

• Current and previous addresses
• Landlord contact info for references
• Reason for leaving

Other Household Info

• Number of adults and children
• Pets (type, breed, size)
• Do they smoke?

Questions to Ask on a Rental Application

The questions you include on your rental application play a key role in helping you identify reliable and responsible tenants. These questions should provide a clear picture of the applicant’s rental history, lifestyle, and whether they meet your rental criteria, all while remaining compliant with Fair Housing laws.

Here are some important questions to include:

• Why are you moving? This can reveal potential red flags (e.g., disputes with a landlord or job loss) or confirm a normal transition like relocating for work or needing more space.
• When are you looking to move in? Helps you determine whether their timeline matches your vacancy schedule.
• Have you ever broken a lease or been evicted? Past behavior is one of the strongest predictors of future behavior. This question can prompt a discussion and allow applicants to explain circumstances if needed.
• Do you have any pets or service animals? Clarifies whether you’ll need to consider pet policies or accommodations. Remember: service animals are not considered pets and are protected under the Fair Housing Act.
• Will any roommates or additional occupants be living with you? You’ll want to screen every adult who will be living on the property and ensure the number of occupants aligns with your lease terms and local occupancy limits.
• What is your monthly income? Getting proof of income helps ensure the tenant can comfortably afford rent. Many landlords use a rent-to-income ratio of 2.5x to 3x monthly rent as a guideline.
• Can you provide proof of income or employment? Pay stubs, W-2s, or offer letters are common forms of verification.
• Can you provide contact information for your current and previous landlords? This allows you to gather insights about the applicant’s rental history, payment reliability, and behavior as a tenant.

Tip: To remain compliant with the Fair Housing Act, it's essential to ask the same questions to every applicant and apply your screening criteria consistently across the board. 

Avoid any questions that relate to protected characteristics such as race, religion, national origin, disability, familial status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Application and Screening Red Flags to Watch For

Some signs in a rental application may warrant a closer look or even disqualify the applicant entirely.

Application Red Flags

• Incomplete or inconsistent information
• Eviction history or vague reasons for moving
• Unverifiable income or employment
• Frequent moves over a short period
• Unwillingness to authorize tenant screening
• Aggressive or evasive behavior when questioned

While these red flags are not immediate disqualifiers, you should always follow up on them and verify all information.

How to Collect Rental Applications with Landlord Studio

Landlord Studio simplifies the entire rental application process, from creating your listing and collecting leads to streamlining online rental applications for top candidates and even running full tenant screening reports.

Here’s how to get started with Landlord Studio’s online rental applications:

If you already have an account, log back in here. If not, you can create a completely free account here.

Step 1: Create a Rental Listing & Collect Leads (Optional)

If you already have leads, you can skip this step. Otherwise, you can collect new leads in a single centralised place.

Head to the Listings tab in the left-hand menu, select the property, and let our AI listing generator draft the details for you. Just add photos, make edits if needed, and publish. With one click, you can syndicate your listing to top sites like Zillow, Trulia, Zumper, and Hotpads to maximize reach.

📖 Learn more about creating listings here

Step 2: Request a Full Rental Application (with Screening Built-In)

Go to Screening & Applicants in the left-hand menu and click + New Application. Select the property and enter the applicant’s name and email address. (It's that simple!)

• Tenants receive a secure link to complete the digital application.
• The application automatically collects supporting documents (proof of income, landlord references, etc.) and runs a full TransUnion screening report (credit, background, and eviction check).

By combining applications and screenings like this, you avoid duplicating questions and pointless back and forth, saving time for both you and your applicants and helping you keep vacancies short.

Read: The Best Tenant Screening Service for Landlords

Step 3: Review and Compare Applicants

All applications and reports are stored in one place, tied to the property. You can easily compare applicants side by side, review documents, and make informed, compliant decisions without messy back-and-forth emails or paperwork.

Free Rental Application Template (PDF)

Want to streamline your rental application process? Go digital with Landlord Studio.

Create a free Landlord Studio account to start collecting online applications now.

Prefer a printable version? Grab our customizable, legally sound rental application form to use offline.

Download the Rental Application Template →

Final Thoughts

A rental application isn’t just paperwork, it’s the foundation of a strong tenant screening process. Asking the right questions and spotting red flags early helps you avoid costly mistakes.

When you use Landlord Studio, the entire process is streamlined from application to screening, so you can spend less time chasing paperwork and more time finding great tenants.