When properly designed, your Georgia rental application form makes the process of signing new tenants clear and straightforward. Using iPropertyManagement’s free rental application template or TurboTenant’s online landlord toolkit can ensure you’re asking the most important questions.
To streamline the way you work with your Georgia rental application, here’s a helpful guide covering the process from start to finish. Let’s dive in:
Information to Collect
A thorough and complete Georgia rental application asks for:
- Applicant, co-applicant, and/or co-signer names
- Social Security number
- Phone number and email address
- Date of birth
- Employment, rental, and income history
- Professional and rental references
- Current, previous, and past residences
- Pets and/or service animals
- Vehicles, smoking status, and emergency contact
Since landlords use rental application forms to gather sensitive personal information from renters, federal and state laws regulate:
- The information landlords can gather using an application
- The types of questions landlords can ask to collect it
- How landlords use applications when approving or denying applicants
We’ll review these laws in detail, but first, let’s run through this quick guide to tenant screening.
Quick Guide to Screening a Tenant
No two rental applications are the same, but this guide covers most elements of responsible, legally-compliant tenant screening:
1. Pre-Screen
To begin the application process, many landlords use pre-screeners to determine if a renter meets their baseline criteria. Once a renter finds your listing, a pre-screener asks for:
- Contact information
- Desired move-in date
- Employment status
- Income
- Self-reported credit score
- Household size
- Pets/service animals
- Smoking status
A pre-screener can help you sort through leads before they apply. Remember: you can’t use pre-screeners as a substitute for your complete Georgia rental application form.
2. Conduct Showings
Once interested renters are eager to see the house or apartment in person, show the rental by scheduling tours and hosting an open house.
3. Distribute and Collect Applications
Next, you’ll share your Georgia rental application form with interested renters. After they’ve filled out the form, collect your applications and begin the review process. Check to ensure all applicants have:
- Signed the consent and acknowledgment
- Submitted the application fee
Georgia Application Laws
Rental application laws and landlord-tenant rights aren’t the same across the U.S. The Georgia Fair Housing Law covers the state’s rental application regulations. Here’s what landlords need to know:
Georgia’s protected renter characteristics overlap with federal anti-discrimination laws. Landlords can’t discriminate against renters based on:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Sex
- Handicap
- Familial status
- National origin (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 186-2-.02)
However, Georgia landlords can legally consider the following:
- Source of income
- Criminal history
- Eviction history
Portable tenant screening reports: Since Georgia law doesn’t regulate these reports, landlords have the discretion to decide whether to use them.
Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals
If you use a free rental application template or an online rental application, you already have a section for pets and animals. If you don’t, now’s the time to add one.
Landlords can’t discriminate against applicants based on the presence of an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or service animal. If the animal damages your property, you can hold the tenant responsible.
Pet information: Ask if renters have a pet, ESA, or service animal and inquire about their name, type, and weight.
Fair Housing Act: The FHA protects renters with ESAs and service animals from discrimination by prohibiting landlords from:
- Denying housing based on an ESA/service animal’s weight, size, or breed
- Charging a pet deposit, pet rent, or pet fee
Federal Application Laws
Landlords in The Peach State, listen up — these are four federal laws you need to know.
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Before landlords run a credit check, they must collect the applicant’s written consent. Landlords must send an adverse action notice to renters if they’re denied based on credit history (Fair Credit Reporting Act).
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): The ECOA is a fair-housing law protecting individuals who receive public assistance. It also regulates how landlords assess credit reports and outlines reporting guidelines for applicants (Equal Credit Opportunity Act).
Fair Housing Act (FHA): Landlords can’t discriminate against renters based on their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. The FHA prohibits unequal rental terms and discriminatory advertising (Fair Housing Act).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): U.S. landlords can’t deny applicants based on a disability, and they must accommodate a renter’s condition (Americans with Disabilities Act).
4. Use a Third-Party Screening Service
Tenant screening is one of the most critical steps in the application review process. Use a free online service like TurboTenant for your credit and criminal background checks.
5. Check Application References
Get in touch with the renter’s past landlords and/or employers to gather more information. We recommend asking these sample questions:
- Would you rent to this tenant again?
- Did this tenant ever miss rent payments?
- What was the rent amount?
- Did they ever damage the property or violate the lease?
6. Approve or Deny Applications
Top landlords recommend accepting multiple applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Here’s what you should consider when deciding on an application:
- Rental history: Request a co-signer if the applicant provides less than one year of rental history.
- Rent-to-income ratio: Is the rent more than 30% of the applicant’s gross income? If so, that’s a red flag for late payments or rent default.
- Credit score: Most landlords set a credit score requirement starting at 600–670.
- Fact check rental applications: Inconsistent information, skipped questions, or false answers on an application give landlords cause for immediate denial.
Denial Process
When rejecting applicants, always practice a legal and consistent process for all renters. In Georgia, causes for denial include:
- Insufficient income
- Poor credit
- False answers on an application
- Criminal background
- Adverse rental history
Denial notice: Georgia law doesn’t require landlords to send tenant rejection letters.
Credit/background denials: Under the FCRA, landlords must send renters an adverse action notice if they deny them based on credit or tenant background checks. You must include the reporting agency’s name and contact details, plus an explanation of the tenant’s right to dispute errors.
Document storage: While not required by Georgia laws, landlords should keep denied applications and screening reports for one to two years. You can use these files to defend against discrimination claims.
Avoiding Fraud
Conduct due diligence to avoid rental application fraud and protect your investment. Here’s how:
- Verify the applicant’s identity and documents
- Conduct background, credit, and eviction checks
- Confirm all employment and income details
- Contact past landlords
- Keep a close eye out for red flags
