The Complete Guide to Rental Application Management

What it covers

Application management is everything between "I'm interested" and "you've got it" (or "sorry, not this time"). Done well, nobody waits without hearing from you, every applicant is judged the same way, and you can say why you decided what you did.

This guide is written for small agencies, leasing agents and landlords. It isn't legal advice: fair housing, anti-discrimination and tenant fee rules differ by country, state and province, so check yours.

Stage 1: Submission

The application form should be:

• Tied to the property, so you know which home someone means
• Short. Name, contact details, move-in date, budget, household and a message
• Easy on a phone. Most people will fill it in on one

Ask for documents later, once someone is a real candidate. How to take the copying out of this stage.

Stage 2: Showings

Offer times people can book themselves, with a limit per slot, a confirmation and a reminder the day before. Record whether each person came. A script for no-shows.

Stage 3: Documents

For applicants you're seriously considering, ask for what you need, usually:

• Photo ID
• Proof of income
• A reference, from an employer or a previous landlord

Keep documents with the application, not in a mailbox, and decide how long you'll keep them. Unsuccessful applicants' documents shouldn't be kept longer than you need them. More on data protection.

Stage 4: Review

Write your criteria down before you start and apply them to everyone in the same order. A common approach is an income-to-rent test. Some places limit what you can consider or require you to accept certain income sources, so check local rules.

If you use a credit, background or referencing check, use a provider that collects consent properly. In England, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 limits what letting agents and landlords can charge tenants. Some US states and cities regulate application and screening fees, so check yours.

Stage 5: Decision

• Accepted: tell them what happens next, and who they'll hear from
• Rejected: tell them promptly, and include any notice your local rules require
• Everyone else: tell them the property is taken. Silence is what applicants remember

Stage 6: Handover

Once someone is accepted, the lease, deposit, first payment and move-in usually happen in other tools: your lease template or e-signature tool, and your accounting or property management software. Make the handover explicit: who sends the lease, by when.

Habits that help

• Reply quickly, and make sure a colleague can reply if you can't
• One status per applicant, used the same way by everyone
• Notes on the record, not in your head
• Tell people where they stand at each stage

Common pitfalls

• A form so long that good applicants give up
• Documents scattered across email
• Two people replying to the same applicant with different answers
• Nobody telling the unsuccessful applicants

Where Loftfolio fits

Stages 1 to 5 are on every plan: an application form on each listing, a pipeline with statuses (new, reviewing, shortlisted, accepted, rejected), priority, tags, notes and budget, messaging on the application, document requests for photo ID, proof of income or a reference, and self-booked viewings with slot limits, confirmations, day-before reminders and self-cancel. On Pro and Agency, viewing feedback asks attendees for a rating, a view on price and their interest.

Stage 6 isn't: Loftfolio has no screening, no leases or e-signature, and no rent or deposits. Applicants never pay Loftfolio anything.

→ Apply to a property on the demo agency and follow it through

Related: A free rental application form template.