More information about the Residential Rental Application

What should be included in a Rental Application to help landlords choose qualified tenants?

Financial information including bank account and credit card account numbers, as well as any financial obligations can legitimately be asked of tenants.  Landlords should also ask prospective tenants to provide their employment information, current and previous rental information and personal references in the Rental Application.

Does a co-applicant need to fill out a separate Rental Application if he or she is 18 or older?

All co-applicants 18 or older should fill out a separate application since they may have different employment histories, rental histories and financial information.

What should landlords do to avoid legal disputes when choosing tenants?

According to the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, landlords should not discriminate against race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), or national origin in the rental of dwellings.

The Fair Housing Act also makes it unlawful for a landlord to refuse to make reasonable accommodations in their policies, rules or services when these accommodations are needed to allow equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities.  In addition, many states and territories will also have their own anti-discrimination legislation.

To avoid discrimination lawsuits, it is very important that landlords comply with these laws when choosing tenants.  The legitimate criteria to screen potential tenants is their credit history, monthly income, references to prior landlords, supervisors, or the history of past evictions or bankruptcies.