Take the first step toward filling your vacancy with an Indiana rental application – but not just any old form from the internet. Set yourself up for success from the very beginning with a free application template. Or, try an online landlord software to reduce clutter, stay organized, and save time.
These tools make it easier to find responsible, rent-paying tenants in the Hoosier State. In this guide, we’ll show how to use your rental application form to its fullest potential, with best practices that keep your process organized, efficient, and legally compliant from start to finish.
Information to Collect
An Indiana rental application serves as your introduction to potential tenants and provides a comprehensive overview of the renter’s personal, financial, household, and rental history. Application forms ask for:
- Applicant names (and co-applicants/co-signers)
- Date of birth
- Social Security numbers
- Email and phone number
- Emergency contact
- Employment and income
- Current and past addresses
- References
- Household size
- Smoking status
- Vehicles
- Animals
Your online rental application should also request supporting documents, such as pay stubs, tax forms, and identification.
Rental application laws: At the federal and state levels, legal guardrails dictate the information landlords can collect, the questions you can ask, and how they can use applications to choose tenants.
Quick Guide to Screening a Tenant
We’ve mapped out a simple approach to tenant screening that keeps the process legally compliant while covering all the basics.
1. Pre-Screen
If you love taking shortcuts, you’ll love using a pre-screener. It’s a smart first step that lets you sort through renters who view your online listing.
Pre-screeners ask renters for basic information, including contact information, move-in date, employment, income, and a self-reported credit score. Landlords use this sample to spot qualified candidates. If the pre-screener looks good, you can send a rental application to them.
Remember: Even if a renter fills out a pre-screener, they still have to submit the complete Indiana rental application form.
2. Conduct Showings
Get ready to welcome renters inside! When you show the rental, keep a sign-up sheet ready to collect contact information.
If you have more than one vacant listing in the area, you could also use this networking opportunity to highlight your other available properties.
3. Distribute and Collect Applications
Once renters have filled out your forms, collect them to begin your application review process. The first step? Check for the signed consent and acknowledgment section, and make sure they’ve paid the application fee.
Indiana Application Laws
Landlord-tenant rights and rental application laws aren’t the same in every state. Under the Indiana Fair Housing Act, landlords can’t discriminate against renters based on:
- Race
- Color
- Sex
- Familial status
- Disability
- National origin (Ind. Code § 22-9.5-5-1)
However, landlords can consider criminal background check results, eviction history, and source of income.
Portable tenant screening reports: Landlords can use portable tenant screening reports in Indiana.
Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals
Don’t forget to ask about animals in your Indiana rental application form (and not just pets, but service animals and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), too).
The Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from:
- Discriminating against renters because of their service animal or ESA (or its weight, size, and breed)
- Charging a pet fee, pet rent, or pet deposit for service animals or ESAs (Fair Housing Act)
Even if you have a no pets policy, you can’t flat-out reject applicants because they have a service animal or ESA. However, you can hold tenants responsible for damages caused by their animals.
As a best practice, use your application to collect animal information. Ask about pets, service animals, and ESAs. Request the animal’s breed, name, size, and service status to keep on file.
Federal Application Laws
Whether you’re in Indiana, Iowa, or Illinois, every landlord in the U.S. must follow these four federal application laws:
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Landlords need an applicant’s written consent to conduct a credit check. If you deny an applicant due to their credit history, the FCRA requires you to notify them (Fair Credit Reporting Act).
Fair Housing Act (FHA): You can’t discriminate or ask questions based on a renter’s:
- Race
- Color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial status
- Disability
The FHA also bans unequal renting terms and discriminatory advertising (Fair Housing Act).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Landlords can’t deny renters solely based on a disability, and they must accommodate their condition (Americans with Disabilities Act).
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): The ECOA prohibits landlords from discriminating against renters because they receive public assistance. It also provides reporting guidelines for applicants and outlines how landlords review rental applications (Equal Credit Opportunity Act).
4. Use a Third-Party Screening Service
Looking for a simplified way to conduct tenant screening? We recommend using a free online tool like TurboTenant to run credit, eviction, and tenant background checks.
5. Check Application References
Speaking with references can help you connect the dots, confirm the information in an application, and learn about the renter from a third party.
Ask about missed rent payments, property damage, broken lease terms, and the landlord’s overall experience of renting to them.
6. Approve or Deny Applications
When approving applications, it’s first-come, first-served. Accept multiple applications after considering rental history, rent-to-income ratio, and credit score.
Before you send out the acceptance notice, make sure you’ve fact-checked every detail. Remember, false information is a telltale sign of rental application fraud.
Denial Process
Handle every denial in the same way. Consistency is key for a legally compliant process and for avoiding discrimination claims.
Criminal background, lack of income, adverse rental history, low credit score, and false information are valid reasons for denial in Indiana.
Do you need to send denial notices? Indiana law doesn’t require tenant rejection letters. However, the FCRA requires you to send an adverse action notice if you reject an applicant based on their credit or background check. Make sure to include:
- The reporting agency’s name and contact details
- The renter’s right to dispute mistakes
As a best practice, keep denied applications and tenant screening reports on hand for at least 3 years. You can use them to defend against discrimination claims.
Avoiding Fraud
As the world around us becomes increasingly digital, it’s only getting easier for dishonest renters to attempt application fraud. Here’s how to detect it:
- Always verify the applicant’s identity
- Take credit, background, and eviction checks seriously
- Confirm the renter’s income and employment
- Check all documents for signs of alteration
