Why are my rental applications being rejected?
I have been applying for rental properties, but my application gets denied every time. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. Why do I keep getting rejected when I apply for a rental property?”
If this sounds like you, you are not alone. Many people looking for rental properties make the same mistakes when applying for a property and get denied. The problem is that you are leaving out some valuable piece of information that the real estate agent or property manager needs to evaluate your application. Without it, it is not possible to consider you as an eligible candidate. To improve your chance of getting approved, you must provide the property manager or landlord with as much relevant and useful information as possible, including:
- Driver’s license
- Bank statements
- Payslips
- Social Security number
- Rental history
- References
- Job history
Most often, there are two reasons why an application would be rejected. One is a lack of information (references, personal information) and a little to no rental history. You might think that credit scores would be a reason, but landlords will work with you on credit, offering you a few options for meeting that requirement.
If your application is not filled out completely, or if there is missing information, it could cause your application to be denied. Having a poor rental history, or no rental history at all, can be another reason. The property manager may or may not disclose why your application was rejected, but if they do, make sure to work on the things they mentioned because it will help you the next time.
If you get denied with no explanation you could try emailing the agent and asking what you could do to improve your chances of being accepted, should you choose to apply at a later time? He or she may be more inclined to give you helpful tips rather than disclose the reason you were denied.
Tips to Consider for Your Next Application:
- Fill out the application with as much information as you can. Take it home with you, or download it online, if possible to allow you the time to fill it out to the best of your ability. Since we don’t carry all of our information with us, applying quickly means you won’t be able to have access to your previous addresses, landlord’s contact information, and financial records for the past 10 years.
- Get statements from previous landlords, if possible. A written letter of recommendation looks good to a property manager when evaluating you as an applicant.
- Be completely transparent with the agent. If you have had credit challenges, let them know. Do not lie about your income or make false statements. Credit and income are not the only deciding factors.
- Call your references and ask for permission to list them on your application. This is a courtesy because nobody likes strangers calling them asking questions about their friends. But if they know the reason ahead of time, they are more likely to give you a glowing review.
- Before choosing a property to apply for, check out their rental reviews. See what other tenants had to say about it before deciding to apply. This will give you valuable insight as to what the property manager may look for, or things to avoid completely.
Do you have a good tenancy history?
The property manager or real estate agent will look at your previous rental history to make sure that you can afford the rent, and that you have a good history of paying on time with other rental properties. A landlord can report late rent payments and damage to properties, and charge you for defaulting on a rental contract. If any of these things are in your background you should get them cleared up before applying for another property.
Remember these helpful tips and implement them to improve your chances of being accepted for the property you choose to live in. These tips will apply to all types of rental properties (houses, apartments, etc.). Use Rent Rabbit to compare properties and read the reviews of tenants who lived there. You can go here to compare rental properties: www.rentrabbit.com.au
