Is it better to use an online application rather than a paper application form?
A rental application allows a landlord to collect and organize applicant supplied information relevant to qualifying the applicant for rental housing. A landlord can request any business related information that would objectively point to the applicant’s ability to pay timely rent and comply with lease terms and conditions.
The format of a rental application is a business decision by the landlord. Determining which format to use can depend upon a landlord’s preference, the resources available to his business operations, and the market being served.
Paper applications and online applications can be equally effective, cost efficient methods to capture information for screening purposes provided there has been due diligence in the development and implementation of an application “form.”
When the same information is requested of every applicant, the same screenings are conducted on every applicant, and the same analysis performed to evaluate applicant screening reports, the type of media used to collect the required information may be only a matter of landlord preference. However, there can be no preference in the application and screening process itself. All rental practices must be non-discriminatory and legally compliant.
A rental application in paper form is the traditional format used by many landlords to begin tenant screening. There are some perceived benefits in using paper applications. The paper format is familiar to most potential renters; an application can be completed in the rental office after a showing; a paper supply is easily sourced; a paper document does not require computer skills or access to the Internet for completion and submission; paper forms appeal to a traditional rental market pool; paper applications provide ready documentation for legal compliances; and signed applications aid in defense of potential claims of discrimination and unfair treatment. The landlord is present at the time of application to verify applicant identity and answer general rental questions. On the other hand, paper applications require safe and secure handling, storage, and final disposal per legal guidelines. Access to application forms should be restricted to business purpose and forms secured for privacy requirements. A landlord will need to anticipate that some forms will be turned in with missing or incomplete information or the information may be hard to read due to handwriting illegibility. This will require additional time to be spent in clarification of information or require additional information to be provided by the applicant.
An online application process accessed through a landlord’s rental portal may appeal to certain demographic portions of the rental market. The application process can be initiated at the applicant’s time of choosing from a mobile device thereby making it easy for the applicant to apply for the rental. This is an effective method for those potential renters searching multiple rental offerings or their preferred method of doing business. The issue of incomplete or missing fields of data is remedied by the application program requiring all critical fields be completed before submission for processing. With the applicant e-signature consent to begin tenant screening, the process of qualification can immediately begin and results returned in a shorter timeframe. With potentially quicker turnarounds on reports, rental decisioning can be faster and vacancy downtime reduced. Applications are processed according to date and time submitted reducing potential claims of discriminatory treatment of submissions. A landlord will still be responsible for legal compliances, safeguarding of applicant information, and retrieval and handling of electronic files as required for business compliances.
Whichever format a landlord chooses to collect applicant information, the rental application is an important risk assessment tool, and can help reduce potential claims of discrimination in screening and selection of applicants. As documented in writing or electronic form, the signed rental application and the tenant screening results support the landlord’s decision to offer tenancy to the selected applicant.