A Residential Rental Application is a document typically used by landlords or property managers to collect information from potential tenants looking to rent property. The form is used to screen for qualified applicants in a way that ensures fairness by providing a standard process for any and all prospective renters.

Not all landlords will have the same rental application as other landlords, and some landlords who own several types of property might have separate applications that require different information for each property.

For example, if a landlord manages an adults-only residence in Sydney, they would likely include that information somewhere on the application and ask if the applicant has children.

So long as the landlord has the same vetting process and application form for every tenant applying for the same property, and they aren't asking illegal questions (e.g. about ethnicity, religion, etc.) as a way of discriminating against candidates, the application questions can be used to collect a wide range of information.

Typically, someone screening tenants might ask for the following details:

• Personal information (the applicant's name, phone number, birthday, dependents, pets, etc.)
• Tax file number to perform a credit check
• Residential history (the applicant's current address, previous landlord's name, the length of their tenancy in that residence)
• Employment details (their job history, position, time spent in that position, supervisor's name and contact information, and salary information)

The tenancy application also has another section where a tenant can authorize the criminal and credit background check. In this section, there is also space for the applicant to comment on anything negative that may show up on the criminal and credit background checks, like a bankruptcy claim.

Collecting personal information can be a sensitive situation, which is why there are regulations in place that landlords should adhere to.

The Privacy Act 1988 relates to the collection and treatment of personal information in Australia, and the obligations listed therein can affect how landlords collect and store the personal information of current tenants and rental applicants.

Some of these obligations include:

• You have to advise the tenant on why you are collecting information and who you might share it with (e.g. another landlord who manages the property)
• You cannot use the information for a purpose other than what is stated on the pre-tenancy application form
• You cannot share the information with anyone without permission from the current or prospective tenant
• The purpose for collecting the information must be lawful and the information must be relevant to the tenancy
• The information should be stored in a secure location with reasonable safeguards (like a lock and key) in place
• The tenant has a right to access and correct the information if necessary

Having a legal form that can fit for virtually any landlord, property manager, or lessor in Australia is important, which is why LawDepot's tenancy application can be customised to suit the laws and regulations for the following Australian states and territories:

• Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
• New South Wales (NSW)
• Northern Territory (NT)
• Queensland (QLD)
• South Australia (SA)
• Tasmania (TAS)
• Victoria (VIC)
• Western Australia (WA)

Our user-friendly legal form can be edited specifically for the needs of your rental situation, including the information you choose to request from potential tenants. You can also personalize landlord information, rental property information, and potential lease terms like possession and tenancy term dates.