Free Florida Rental Application Template

Owning a rental property can be a path toward financial security. Ideally, your tenants’ rent will pay your mortgage and other expenses - allowing you to own the home outright and gain passive income. Unfortunately, this plan may be thwarted by tenants who don’t pay rent or who damage your property.

To reduce the risk of renting to problem tenants, all landlords should use a rental application as a first step in the tenant screening process. This application should get basic information - like rental history and income - while avoiding any potentially discriminatory questions. Our Florida rental application template provides an excellent starting point for landlords looking to draft or update their applications.

At Eaton Realty, we specialize in real estate transactions and property management in Hillsborough County. Our goal for each of our clients is to help you make a smart investment in rental property - and then achieve a profit through smart property management. If you are contemplating buying a rental property in Tampa, talk to one of our Tampa property managers about how we can help.

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Why You Should Have a Rental Application

When you purchase an investment property, your expectation is likely that you will build equity over time - and, eventually, turn a profit. Of course, this plan largely depends on having tenants who pay rent each month and don’t damage the property. That is why screening prospective tenants is so critical.

There is never a guarantee that any tenant that you rent to will treat your property well and pay rent consistently. Even with a stellar rental history and a good monthly income, a renter may experience difficulties that lead them to do something out of character. Still, screening tenants is the best way to reduce the odds of losing money on your rental property.

Generally, tenant screening starts with an application. In this application, you can ask basic questions about their income, rental history, and more. With this information, you can run credit and criminal history checks. You can also contact prior landlords and other references to get an idea of what they are like as tenants.

A solid rental application can minimize the likelihood that your tenant won’t pay rent or damage your property because you can make a decision informed by past behavior. You can also protect other tenants from potential problems. For example, if you learn that an applicant has a criminal history of dealing drugs or that they often were the source of noise complaints at their prior residences, you can decide not to rent to them.

Of course, a rental application is just the first step. You should verify the information provided - something your property management company can help you do by running checks and talking to references. Your property manager can also closely monitor your rental properties so that they can be proactive if problems do arise with any tenants.

Is There Anything You Can’t Ask on a Rental Application?

Screening tenants is a necessary step to ensure that you have responsible tenants who will pay rent and take care of your property. That being said, there are certain questions that you cannot ask your tenants.

Generally, you cannot ask any questions that would potentially allow you to discriminate against a prospective renter in violation of the Florida Civil Rights Act or the federal Fair Housing Act. Under these laws, it is illegal to refuse to rent to a person or otherwise discriminate against them based on their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), familial status, or disability.

To avoid violating these laws - and facing steep consequences for doing so - you should never ask questions about the following on a rental application:

1. Race or national origin: requesting information about an applicant’s race, skin color, ethnicity, nationality, or place of birth is considered housing discrimination. You should never have a category for these items on a rental application.
2. Photos: you should not request photographs of applicants as part of a rental application. Photos serve no valid screening purpose and may be considered evidence of bias based on physical characteristics like skin color or sex. If you need to verify an applicant’s identity, you can rely on legal methods such as a driver’s license or passport.
3. Citizenship status: while you can verify that a person can legally rent the property, you should not ask detailed questions about a person’s background. Instead, you can ask if the applicant can provide proof of legal status to rent the property and rely on standard government identification documents.
4. Marital/relationship status: any questions about an applicant’s marital status or sexual orientation should not be on a rental application, as they open the door to potential housing discrimination. While it is acceptable to ask about the number of people that will occupy a unit - and to ask for the names of all adults on the lease - you cannot ask for details about relationships or partnerships.
5. Age: unless the rental property is in an age-restricted retirement community, a landlord cannot explicitly ask for a prospective renter’s age. You can ask for a date of birth to obtain a credit or background check, but you cannot specifically discuss age with the applicant. You should also avoid asking questions about the ages of any children that will reside in the unit (or whether the tenants plan to have children) - which may lead to discrimination against families.
6. Religion: landlords should never ask prospective tenants about their religion or religious beliefs - full stop. You should not ask any question about religion, whether on a rental application or when talking to a prospective tenant.
7. Disabilities or Medical Conditions: a rental application should not ask about an applicant’s physical or mental health history. An application can ask if a tenant will require an accommodation due to a disability, but it cannot ask about specific disabilities or medical conditions.
8. Source of income: while landlords can ask for total monthly income and/or proof of income (such as pay stubs), they cannot ask how a tenant earns their income. Doing so may lead to housing discrimination on the basis of family status (such as if the applicant receives child support or alimony) or because they receive public assistance. All sources of income must be treated equally.
9. Public assistance: landlords cannot ask if an applicant has ever received public assistance.

Essentially, landlords should take care when drafting a rental application to avoid asking for any information that could lead to a claim of discrimination. Instead, landlords should focus on the facts about an applicant that affect their potential to be a good tenant. This may include:

• Monthly income
• Employment history
• Rental history and references
• Personal references
• Number of people who will be living in the unit
• Criminal history
• Credit history

All of these questions must be asked universally and in a non-discriminatory way (i.e., you cannot only screen Black applicants for criminal history). Below, we have put together a sample rental applicationthat will help you effectively - and legally - screen tenants.

Free Florida Rental Application Template

Our property management team has created a free rental application template that you can use for your own rentals. This template can be modified to suit your particular needs. You can download the template by clicking the button below.

Free Florida Rental Application Template

Take Advantage of Smart Florida Property Management Strategies with Eaton Realty

Owning rental properties can be profitable - and a headache. Screening tenants, running background checks, and reaching out to references is time-consuming but necessary. Our property managers will take on the task of finding great tenants for you, all while helping you manage your properties efficiently.

Eaton Realty works with property investors in the greater Tampa area to both buy and sell real estate. We also offer full-service property management so that you can have peace of mind in knowing that your rental units are in good hands. To learn more about our real estate services, fill out our online contact form or give us a call at 813-672-8022 to talk to a member of our West Central Florida real estate team.

The information disclosed above does not constitute legal or financial advice. Use this information at your discretion and consult a legal or financial professional for further guidance.