Tenancy Application Form for Landlords
To vet your potential tenants properly, it's important you use a tenancy application form to collect the right information. This will help you find suitable tenants and avoid those with a history of failing to pay their rent on time or keep the property in good condition.
The NRLA's rental application form is available to our members as one of our many pre-tenancy resources for landlords and will enable you to collect all the information you need about potential tenants.
Join the NRLA today for unlimited access to resources, advice, and exclusive discounts, helping you navigate the tenancy process with ease.
Why should you use a tenancy application form?
Although most tenants pay their rent on time and keep the property clean and tidy, there is a small minority of tenants who persistently pay rent late or have damaged their previous rental properties.
Collecting information about your prospective tenants in a tenancy reference check is important for two main reasons:
- It will help you determine whether they're likely to be a respectful and reliable tenant
- It will provide you with the contact information you need should any problems occur during the actual tenancy.
Tenancy application forms are useful because they gather all the necessary information you need to make an informed choice over who will live in your property. Helping you to find a tenant who will look after the home for years to come.
What information does the tenancy application form collect?
The tenancy application form collects the prospective tenant's personal information, along with their consent to use it.
The form asks tenants to provide:
- Contact details
- Employment status
- Details of their current living situation
- Details of any benefits they receive
Prospective tenants will also have to provide the contact details of their current landlord so that you can contact them for a reference. This will be the best indicator of whether they're likely to pay the rent on time and take good care of your property.
In some circumstances, such as if the prospective tenant is a student and has only previously lived with their family, you might be unable to get hold of a reference from a previous landlord. If this is the case, you may want to ask for a character reference as part of the lease application form to confirm that the tenant is reliable and trustworthy. In practice, many landlords prefer to secure a guarantor for situations like this.
Keeping tenants' data safe
When dealing with prospective tenants' personal data, you're legally obligated to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
If you have not done so beforehand, you must send out a privacy notice along with the application for tenancy form to let the prospective tenant know how you are going to use their information and what basis you have for using it.
You must also store the tenant's personal data in a way that complies with the GDPR principles and protects the rights of the individual.
Personal data includes (but is not limited to):
- Names
- Addresses
- Telephone numbers
- Email addresses
- Employment details
- Proof of identity
- Credit history/financial records
- Photographs
For more information on GDPR and your legal obligations, visit our page on GDPR for landlords.
Join the NRLA for unlimited access to tenancy support
Preparing for a new tenancy can be stressful and time-consuming, which is why members of the NRLA have unlimited access to expert support, resources, and exclusive discounts to make the process smooth and simple.
As a member, you'll gain access to our rental application form template, as well as a huge range of resources to help you throughout your tenancy and beyond.
Become a member of the NRLA today and benefit from exclusive discounts and expert advice whenever you need it.
This tenancy application form is exclusively available to members of the NRLA.