Any RentApp website users?

Question

I just signed up for RentApp, which provides a customizable online application that is completely free, both to me AND my tenants. The local custom here seems to be to accept free applications(some use RentApp), then the more serious landlords charge $25 or so for a background check only after initial review of the app. That's why I'm not too excited about SmartMove. I'd be the only one in the neighborhood charging a fee just to get a potential customer onto my contacts list. Does anyone else use RentApp? Do you use their screening service as well or use someone else for that?

Jon K. · Answer

Why not type up your own application? You know what you want to know about your tenants. It's a one page application. Doesn't take long to make. I could see not wanting some tenants without tech skills, though elderly tenants might be a nice exception. You don't show the house until they apply? I wouldn't apply to live somewhere before I had seen a property. Why are you hand delivering applications to tenants? Let the tenants get an application when you show them the place. Or leave a outdoor sign of some blank applications in front of the house -- let the tenant pick up the app and bring it back to you. Or put the printable application on a website -- let the tenant print it out and bring it to you. Tenants who are willing to bring me apps makes me know they're serious and want the property. If they aren't willing to print out or pick up an application and bring it back to me, they aren't really interested in the property. If all your local competitors use some web app then once the tenant passes that, they pay $25 for a background check, go for it. If it works for you, keep doing it. RentApp's criminal history check wouldn't show everything because of the reason Joe mentioned. I would rather spend some time manually checking court record searches than rely on a site than says it's a "background check"-- when that is limited as Joe says.

Account Closed · Answer

Bill, It is stupid when someone says to don't show a home until they fill out a application. Stop and think one Sunday morning after church you and your girlfriend stop at a dealership to look at a very nice-looking auto and the salesman say you need to fill out an application before you can see it. Now do you think that is a good way of doing business. Joe Gore

Bill Briscoe · Answer

For starters, I've been looking and asking around the board for a good paper application I can steal and use for myself for a week or so and keep getting directed to online sites. And yes, printing all those apps and hand delivering them to the tenant is high-maintenance for me, plus I don't really want tenants who don't have computer access - I've had them before and they were a pain to keep in contact with. Also, my local competition uses RentApp. And, I've been told to not show the house until the tenant has filled out an application. So handing them an application at the showing doesn't work. I've tried putting a stack of applications in the dropbox on my For Rent sign before and they usually all disappear in a week and I get none back.

Jon K. · Answer

Why bother with RentApp just for an unscreened application service? Who runs that site and what do they do with the data? What's their privacy policy? Besides, you have to screen tenants elsewhere if you want free. Tenant screening on RentApp is NOT free. It's $25 to (lightly) screen them. Seems like a waste of time to make a tenant register for some website just to fill out a simple application when you can't screen tenants for free on RentApp. Paper applications are free, private, and simple. Just hand a tenant a form and it's done there and then... no need for them to sign up for some random site. Sometimes simple is better. Tenants don't need a PC or internet and it's done. If someone really wants to live in my property, they can come pick up a rental application, fill it out, and give it back to me. Online they're more likely to fill out a variety of rental applications without much interest in really moving in and waste my time. I give them a paper app and tell them to think it over and bring the paper app back to me. Then I know they're serious. You could just give them the paper app during showing and let them fill it out in person and give it back to you then. Do you get dozens and dozens of rental applications or what? Is paper that burdensome? Do you have a huge multiplex or something? Why do potential tenants have to sign up for for SmartMove or RentApp just to get in your contacts list? Do you have an e-mail newsletter you send to tons of people every time there's a vacancy?

Account Closed · Answer

Bill, Beware of their nationwide criminal history searches because there are no such thing as a nationwide criminal search unless you are law enforceforment. Joe Gore