From the northern forests to the cities down south, renting out a property in this corner of the Midwest begins with your Wisconsin rental application. iPropertyManagement’s free rental application template or a digital landlord solution can help you go from piles of paperwork to a smooth and easy online process.
Here’s a complete overview of a Wisconsin rental application. We’ll discuss tenant screening, rental application laws, and denial processes.
Information to Collect
Gather renter information using your Wisconsin rental application form by asking for:
- Personal information: Applicant names (including co-applicants and/or co-signers), Social Security numbers, date of birth, phone number, email, and emergency contact
- Rental history: Details of previous and current residences
- Financial details: Employment information, proof of income, and credit history
- Household details: Occupants, smoking status, and vehicles
- References: Professional and/or rental references
- Pets: Number of pets/service animals and animal details
Due to the sensitive nature of the information, laws regulate how landlords use application forms to select renters, dictating the questions they can ask and the information they can collect.
Here’s a quick overview of tenant screening covering the laws that apply to your Wisconsin rental application.
Quick Guide to Screening a Tenant
While every rental application you collect will be unique, these six steps provide a smart approach to ensure your tenant screening process is complete and legally compliant.
1. Pre-Screen
Pre-screeners help landlords decide if a renter meets their baseline criteria. Once a renter finds your online listing, the pre-screener asks for:
- Contact information
- Self-declared credit score
- Income and employment
- Move-in date
- Number of occupants
- Smoking
- Pets/service animals
A pre-screener can help you sort through leads, save time, and stay organized, but it cannot replace your official rental application.
2. Conduct Showings
Welcome renters into your property and show the rental through tours or an open house.
3. Distribute and Collect Applications
Send your online rental application to interested renters, then collect the completed form and application fee. Make sure the renter has signed the consent and acknowledgement portion.
Wisconsin Application Laws
Whether your listing is out by Lake Michigan or Lake Superior, every landlord needs to follow the Wisconsin rental application laws and landlord-tenant rights outlined in the Wisconsin Open Housing Law.
In Wisconsin, the following renter characteristics are legally protected:
- Sex
- Race
- Color
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Religion
- National origin
- Marital or family status
- Status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking
- Source of income
- Age
- Ancestry
Landlords can’t legally discriminate against or deny applicants because of the above traits.
Criminal & eviction history: You can consider an applicant’s criminal and eviction history, but you must apply a consistent screening process across all applicants.
Portable tenant screening reports: Landlords can accept portable tenant screening reports, but Wisconsin law doesn’t require their use.
Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals
Did you know that 59% of households in Wisconsin have a pet? Consider this your cue to inquire about animals in your Wisconsin rental application.
You can’t legally discriminate against applicants who have an Emotional Service Animal (ESA) or a service animal, but you can have tenants cover any damages their animals cause.
Pet information: Ask if the renter has a pet/ESA/service animal, and collect details including their name, size, and breed.
Fair Housing Act: The FHA prohibits:
- Discrimination against renters with an ESA/service animal
- Charging any kind of pet deposit, pet fee, or pet rent for animals with official service status
- Denying housing based on the service animal’s breed, size, or weight
Federal Application Laws
If you’re listing a home or apartment in the Badger State, you must follow these four federal laws:
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Landlords must obtain the renter’s written consent before pulling their credit report. If you deny applicants based on credit, you must send them an adverse action notice (Fair Credit Reporting Act).
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): The ECOA protects individuals who receive public assistance, defines how landlords can assess credit history, and lists reporting guidelines for applicants (Equal Credit Opportunity Act).
Fair Housing Act (FHA): The FHA protects the following traits:
- Race
- Color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial status
- Disability
Landlords (and employees who select renters) can’t deny or discriminate against applicants solely based on these characteristics, offer unequal renting terms, or use discriminatory advertising (Fair Housing Act).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): You can’t deny applicants solely based on a disability, and you must accommodate a renter’s condition (Americans with Disabilities Act).
4. Use a Third-Party Screening Service
Credit and criminal background checks are an essential part of the application review process. Conduct online tenant screening with confidence using a free digital tool.
5. Check Application References
Begin your reference checks by asking the renter’s past landlords and/or employers these sample questions:
- What was the tenant paying for monthly rent?
- Did they ever miss rent payments? If so, how many?
- Did they maintain the property well, keeping it clean and undamaged?
- Did the tenant ever violate the lease, or receive notice about potentially doing so?
- Would you rent to this tenant again?
6. Approve or Deny Applications
Experts recommend accepting multiple applications on a first-come, first-served basis, keeping these considerations in mind:
- Credit score: Most landlords require a credit score of at least 600 to 670.
- Rent-to-income ratio: A rent-to-income ratio over 30% of the applicant’s gross income increases the risk of rent default.
- Rental history: Require a co-signer for renters with less than one year of solid rental history.
- Fact check on rental application: Make sure you’re making a decision based on facts by verifying an applicant’s identity, documents, employment, income, and rental history.
Denial Process
Handle denials legally and consistently across all applicants. You can deny renters based on income, employment, rental history, criminal background, or false information.
Denial notice: Wisconsin law doesn’t require landlords to send tenant rejection letters.
Credit/background denials: After denying renters based on a credit or tenant background check, you must send applicants an adverse action notice stating the reporting agency’s name/contact information and the individual’s right to dispute errors.
Document storage: Store screening reports and denied applications for at least two years to help defend against claims of discrimination.
Avoiding Fraud
Safeguard your investment from rental application fraud with these three best practices:
- Always run credit, eviction, and background checks
- Verify the applicant’s identity, employment, income, and documents
- Speak with past landlords and employers
