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.  

Any rental applicant data collected with the online rental application created in your Rentec Direct property management software account is securely stored within your software. This article reviews how to customize your online rental application.
Tip: Once your Online Rental Application is set up, simply send a link to your  Custom Website  to prospective tenants
System Note: Applications will not be submitted if the required fields are not complete. 

Create Your Online Rental Application

Rentec Direct provides customization options for your rental application. Design and manage online rental application criteria and questions with the instructions below. 

Important Note: Ensure your rental application complies with federal, state, and local landlord-tenant laws. 

In your Rentec Direct account:

  1. Click Settings
  2. Under Program click on Rental Applications
  3. Select the Yes radio button next to Enable Online Applications at the top of the page, if you would like your rental applicants to be able to apply online.
  4. Select the Default Questions and any additional instructions to be included in the application
  5. Save Changes

    Notes:
    1. If there are Default Questions that you would like to require, set the default to No and add the question as a Required Custom Question using the following steps
    2. If you require an application fee, see Collecting Application Fees Online below

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. 

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 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

      Note: If a required question is not answered, the applicant cannot move forward with the application
  4. To add additional questions, click the  +Add Question link
  5. Save Changes


Collecting Application Fees Online

Application fees can be required and received with online applications through your Rentec Direct property management software. A merchant account will need to be established to receive online 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 Settings
  2. Under Program click on Rental Applications
  3. Under Application Fees
    1.  Enter the amount of the fee
    2. Select if you want the fee shown on the property ledger as income
    3. If the income is to show on the property ledger, you will want to create and select the category to be used

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 

Blank Rental Application Form

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

Important NoteEach 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. 

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