Overcome piles of paperwork with an organized, efficient Virginia rental application. In today’s digital world, landlords have more tools than sticky notes to work with. If you’re tired of misplacing documents, start using an online rental application.
Stay tuned for an overview of how to best use a free application template. We’ll touch on rental application laws, tenant screening, denial processes, and best practices at every step.
Information to Collect
Use your Virginia rental application to gather:
- Applicant information: Name, date of birth, Social Security number, phone number, email, and emergency contact
- Financial details: Employment, income, and employer references
- Rental history: Current and past addresses, leasing dates, and rental references
- Household overview: Number of occupants, animals, vehicles, and smoking status
- Co-signer information: Name, date of birth, Social Security number, and income details
Rental forms ask for private information, so laws regulate how landlords use that information when making decisions. State and federal laws govern the information landlords can collect and the types of questions they can ask.
Quick Guide to Screening a Tenant
Tenant screening is one of the most critical parts of securing a new tenant. We’ve outlined a process that’s responsible, efficient, and legally compliant.
1. Pre-Screen
If you don’t have the time to review countless applications, consider using a pre-screener. It helps landlords identify renters who meet their baseline criteria for income, move-in time, and credit score.
A pre-screener can’t replace your full Virginia rental application, but it does allow you to sample:
- Contact information
- Employment, income, and credit details
- Move-in date
- Number of occupants
- Animals, vehicles, and smoking status
Add a pre-screener to your online listing if you’re interested in using this helpful tool.
2. Conduct Showings
Show the rental unit to meet with interested renters. We recommend conducting a deep clean before renters arrive. Keep a sign-up sheet near the entrance to collect their contact information.
3. Distribute and Collect Applications
If a tenant passes a pre-screener, send them your application for rental. While collecting your form, make sure they’ve filled out the application without missing any sections, paid the rental application fee, signed the consent and acknowledgment section.
Virginia Application Laws
Here’s a quick recap of the Virginia Fair Housing Law and landlord-tenant rights:
Virginia law prohibits landlords from discriminating against renters based on:
- Elderliness
- Source of funds (including child support, Social Security, and Section 8 vouchers)
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
- Military status (Va. Code § 36-96.3)
Criminal & eviction history: Landlords in Virginia can reference criminal background check results and eviction records, but they must apply fair and consistent screening across all applicants (Fair Housing Act).
Portable tenant screening reports: Since no laws prohibit the use of portable tenant screening reports, landlords are permitted to use them.
Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals
Don’t forget to ask about your furry friends on your Virginia application form. Request details about household animals, including their breed, name, size, and proof of service status.
Even if you don’t intend to accept pets, you can’t discriminate against service animals and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs).
Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords can’t:
- Discriminate against renters based on their service animal or ESA
- Collect a pet fee, pet rent, or pet deposit for service animals or ESAs
- Reject an application based on the animal’s size, weight, or breed (Fair Housing Act)
If you’re concerned about property damage, don’t worry. Tenants are liable for any damages their animals cause.
Federal Application Laws
Study up on these federal laws to keep your tenant screening process legally compliant:
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): You can’t discriminate against renters because they receive public assistance. The ECOA outlines how landlords assess rental applications and defines reporting guidelines for applicants (Equal Credit Opportunity Act).
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Landlords need an applicant’s written consent before running a credit check. If you reject renters due to credit reports, you must send them an adverse action notice (Fair Credit Reporting Act).
Fair Housing Act (FHA): The FHA prohibits landlords from discriminating against renters based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. It bans unequal renting terms and discriminatory advertising (Fair Housing Act).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Landlords can’t discriminate against renters based on a disability, and they must accommodate the renter’s condition (Americans with Disabilities Act).
4. Use a Third-Party Screening Service
Ensure your tenant screening is thorough and complete by using a trusted resource for credit, eviction, and tenant background checks. We recommend using TurboTenant’s free online tool.
5. Check Application References
Reach out to the renter’s past landlords and employer references to ask any questions you may have, such as:
- Did they damage the property?
- How much were they paying for rent?
- Did they break your lease?
- Were they late to pay rent, or did they miss payments?
- Would you rent to them again?
6. Approve or Deny Applications
It’s a good idea to accept multiple applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Before you come to a final decision, fact-check the application details. If you come across false information, you can deny the applicant.
When approving applicants, don’t forget to consider:
- Rental history: If an applicant lacks sufficient rental history, require a co-signer.
- Rent-to-income ratio: Determine whether the renter can afford rent by calculating their rent-to-income ratio. 1 month’s rent should be less than 30% of the renter’s gross income.
- Credit score: Set a minimum score requirement of 600–670.
Denial Process
As a best practice, handle denials consistently across all applicants. Virginia landlords can deny renters based on:
- Credit
- Criminal background
- False information
- Income
- Rental history
Denial notice: Virginia law doesn’t require landlords to send rejection letters to tenants.
Credit/background denials: If you deny applicants based on their credit or background check, you must inform them. Send an adverse action notice, including:
- The reporting agency’s name and phone number or email address
- The renter’s right to dispute mistakes (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
Document storage: Store your Virginia rental application documents for at least 3 years. You can use them to defend yourself if anyone files a discrimination claim.
Avoiding Fraud
Ask yourself these five questions to help you identify false information and forged documents:
- Did I conduct credit, background, and eviction checks?
- Did I confirm their employment and income?
- Did I verify their identity?
- Did I speak with their references?
- Did I fact-check all documents?
