Setting Up Your Online Rental Application Form

Online rental applications allow you to conveniently collect and organize your rental applicants’ information to approve the most qualified tenant for your properties quickly.  

Create Your Online Rental Application

Rentec Direct provides customization options for your rental application. There are several Default Questions that are standard for property management and will provide you with information needed to run Tenant Screening Reports.

Click here to see how easy it is to order Tenant Screening Reports directly from online Rental Applications received: Managing Rental Applications

System Note: Applications will not be submitted if the required fields are not complete. The only required Default Question is a social security number for adults, which is indicated with a red "*". If there are Default Questions you would like to require a response for, change the default to No and add them to your Custom Questions where you can check the "Required"  box.

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click on Settings
2. Under Program, click on Rental Applications
3. Enable Online Applications by checking the Yes radio button
4. Select your preferred Default Questions and any additional instructions you would like to include
5. Click on SAVE if you do not want to add any custom or required questions - or application fees as outlined below

Pro Tips:

• If you are setup with PetScreening, setting Ask primary applicant to list pets? to:
  • Yes, If you would like Pet Screening to be required of only the primary applicant If they indicate they have a pet
  • No, If you would like all applicants to complete Pet Screening even if they indicate they don't have a pet
    • PetScreening allows you to establish legal documentation of applicants indicating they don't have a pet and that they are aware of your pet policy if they acquire a pet at a later date. There is no additional fee for applicants with "No Pet".

Click here for more information about PetScreening.com and adding Pet Screening to your Rentec Direct application process Getting Started with Pet Screening

Custom Questions

Easily add Custom Questions to your Rental Application. Rentec Direct property management software helps prevent incomplete applications or missing required information by allowing you to create required Custom Questions. 

If a required question is not answered, the applicant will not be able to submit the application.

The following steps will walk you through how to add custom and required questions to your online application:

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click on Settings
2. Under Program, click on Rental Applications
3. Under Custom Questions
   1. Type the question in the space provided
   2. Using the dropdown, select allow a single line response or multiple lines
   3. Indicate if the answer is Required
4. Click on +Add Question as needed to add additional custom and/or required questions
5. Click on SAVE if you do not want to require application fees as outlined below

Collecting Application Fees Online

Application fees can be required and received with online applications through your Rentec Direct property management software. A merchant account is required for all online financial transactions, including application fees.

Note: Click here for more information on applying for a Merchant Account through your Rentec Direct software

Once a merchant account is established, the following steps will walk you through enabling Application Fees.

In your Rentec Direct account:

1. Click on Settings
2. Under Program, click on Rental Applications
3. Under Application Fees
   1. Enter the Application fee amount
   2. Automatically apply collected fee to the property as income
      1. Set to Yes for application fee to show on the Property and the associated merchant Bank Account
      2. Set to No for application fee to show only on the associated merchant Bank Account
   3. Select the category created for Application Fee Income
      
      Note: Click here for more information on Setting Up Categories | Chart of Accounts
4. Click on Save Changes

Pro Tip: Click here to learn how to Send a link to your available property applications here Marketing Your Rental Through Online Listings

Notes: 

• It's common to allow the application fee to show on the property ledger and then post a management fee to expense the income out for full transparency.
• Please check with your federal, state, and local laws about how much you are legally allowed to charge for application fees and how those fees must be managed.
• Online application fees will be deposited into the merchant account indicated as the income account in the property
• There is a 2.95% convenience fee for Visa/MC/Disc transactions. There is an option to allow Amex, which has a 3.5% convenience fee 

How to Send Links to Applicants

Once your Online Rental Application is set up, send a link to your Custom Website or Link to Your Application to prospective tenants

Blank Rental Application Form

A blank, generic rental application is available to print out and provide to rental applicants here: Rental Application Form

Important Note: Each state has its own legal requirements for rental applications. You may need to modify the example document to meet your state requirements before using it.