Renter Questionnaire

1) What are rental application forms?

Rental application forms are documents that prospective renters fill out when applying for short-term or long-term use of a property or piece of equipment. These forms help landlords and rental businesses gather crucial information about applicants, such as their income, employment details, rental history, and references.

2) Subtypes of rental application forms

Rental application forms can vary depending on the type of property and the specific requirements of the person or company renting the property. Types of rental applications may include:

• Standard rental applications: These are used for most residential properties to collect standard information like personal details, income, and rental history.
• Room rental applications: Designed for shared living situations, this application type focuses on the compatibility with current tenants in addition to the usual tenant qualifications.
• Commercial rental applications: Used for commercial properties, this type of form includes fields specific to businesses, such as financial statements and business plans.
• Farmland rental applications: This type of application is traditionally used for granting farmers access to specific plots of land to grow crops or raise livestock.
• Short-term rental applications: These applications are tailored for properties rented out on a short-term basis like a vacation home, event facility, or venue.
• Equipment rental applications: These are designed for short term rentals of machinery, tools, electronics, and furniture such as tables and chairs for an event.
• Car rental applications: These are used for short-term motor vehicle rentals to collect personal details and payment information, as well as confirm that the driver has the proper license, insurance, and driving record to safely operate that vehicle.
• Costume rental applications: Designed for the short-term rental of clothing, shoes, wigs, and props, these types of forms typically gather contact information, sizing, and payment details.

3) Key elements of rental application forms

A well-designed rental application form may collect the following information:

• The applicant’s name, contact details, and social security number for background checks
• The applicant’s current employment status, employer details, and monthly income to assess financial stability
• The applicant’s rental history, including previous addresses and reasons for leaving past residences
• Personal or professional references who can vouch for the applicant’s character and reliability
• The applicant’s consent for background and credit checks, along with their signature to validate the application

4) Benefits of using rental application forms

Rental application forms offer advantages to both the renter and owner. Application forms help streamline the screening process by presenting a structured way to assess an applicant and verify their ability to make payments on time.

By creating a thorough application that requests essential information up front, property owners can quickly identify applicants who do not qualify and make more informed decisions as to who would be the best fit for their rental. With rental applications, you can easily review details like an applicant’s credit history, criminal records, and eviction reports to determine if they are suitable potential tenants and reduce the likelihood of future issues.

Using a standardized form also helps ensure that all applicants are evaluated on the same criteria, so the selection process is consistent and fair.

5) Use cases for rental application forms

Rental application forms can be used in a variety of scenarios to screen potential renters, collect their personal information, and process payments for deposits and fees.

Whether you’re renting a single-family home, or managing multiple units in an apartment complex, residential rental applications allow you to evaluate tenants in a consistent and efficient manner. With rental application forms, you can

• Request identifying information so you can perform background checks
• Collect documentation of applicants’ income and credit history to confirm their ability to afford rent and make payments on time
• Review applicants’ references, as well as records of their rental history, to verify that they will be reliable tenants who maintain the property and act as good neighbors to other members of the community
• For those renting out a room in a shared home, application forms can help assess a potential roommate’s lifestyle preferences, habits, and financial stability to ensure they are compatible with existing tenants

Owners of commercial properties can use rental applications to vet businesses interested in retail, office, or industrial space. These forms can help you

• Collect key details about the business, such as number or years in operation, business structure, and financial statements to determine the business’s stability and ability to meet lease obligations
• Evaluate prospective tenants based on the type of business, target market, and projected sales to see if their business is likely to thrive in the given location
• Ensure there is a mix of tenants that aligns with the property’s overall commercial strategy.
• Gather information about the intended use of the space to confirm that the space is suitable for the tenant’s business operations and that they are in compliance with zoning regulations (when renting out industrial or warehouse spaces)

Hosts of vacation rentals and short-term stays can use rental application forms to screen guests before confirming bookings. This can include the purpose of the stay, the number of guests, and any special requests. This added layer of screening helps protect the property and ensure that guests are a good fit for the rental.

Properties that are rented out for events, such as weddings, parties, or corporate retreats, can also use application forms to gather details about the event, including the number of attendees, duration, and specific requirements so property managers can prepare appropriately and avoid any potential issues.

6) How to create rental application forms with Jotform

Creating rental application forms is easy with Jotform. You can design your own from scratch or choose from Jotform’s library of free, prebuilt templates.

Use Jotform’s drag-and-drop Form Builder to customize your application in just a few clicks. Easily add or remove fields to fit your needs, update the fonts and colors to match your branding, upload images of the property or your company logo, and much more. You can include signature fields to collect signatures from any device , and integrate your preferred payment gateway to seamlessly process application fees from one convenient form.

Once your application is complete, you can share your form to start collecting submissions right away. Copy and paste the link to post it on social media, send it in an email to interested applicants, add a scannable QR code to your rental listing, or embed it on your website to provide instant access to potential renters.