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Rental Tips: Applications and Other Paperwork

When you fill out a rental application you will want to have some basic information and documentation ready to make the process go smoothly:

Name address and phone numbers of current and past employers.
A stub or deposit slip from a recent pay check.
Name address and phone numbers of current and past landlords.
Signed letters of reference or a current bill from utility companies.
The contact information of people who can be used as references.
Two forms of picture ID.
Social security number.
Drivers license number.
Credit account numbers (for credit checks).
Cash or local checks to pay for application and processing fees.

Most landlords will perform a screening process on any potential tenants, which usually consists of calling references and running credit checks. There is often a fee associated with the screening process, but it cannot exceed $30, and the landlord must provide an itemized receipt.

A typical application process includes a credit check by the landlord. You can bring a copy of your credit report if you want, but most landlords will insist upon running their own. If you have poor credit you still stand a chance of getting an apartment, but you will need to prove to the landlord that you are capable of making payments and have resolved whatever debt you had accumulated. Letters of reference from current landlords and utility companies can serve well to prove to a prospective landlord that you are capable of making the monthly payments.

If a landlord runs a credit report on you he is legally bound to give you a copy of it if you request it. It is good to obtain a current copy of your credit report for your own records. If you can provide documentation that shows that your credit report is incorrect; for example, if the report shows that you defaulted on a loan, but you can provide documentation from the bank that shows that the loan was paid off under good terms, then most landlords will overlook the discrepancy.

Sometimes the rental unit is not available immediately, but the landlord will still agree to rent it. In cases like this the landlord will usually ask for a holding deposit. A holding deposit is a deposit, usually less than one months rent, that is put down to guarantee that the tenant is guaranteed the apartment as soon as the current tenants move out. Some or all of the holding deposit may be put towards the first months rent when you move in. Different landlords will have different procedures and penalties for withdrawing after you have paid the deposit, and they may be entitled to some or all of it if you decide to back out of that rental agreement. If you submit a holding deposit with the rental application but the landlord rejects you as a tenant, then the landlord is required to return the entire deposit to you.

Keep in mind that the holding deposit only guarantees that the apartment will not be rented out to anyone else until your application is rejected or terminated for any reason. You will still be responsible for taking care of the first months rent and any move-in fees before the apartment is actually yours.

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