Digital Rental Application Form for Open House (Zillow Rental Manager vs. DocuSign??)

[Carli Brunner]

I’m hosting an open house tonight and have received a few applications from potential tenants via Zillow Rental Manager, including background and credit checks. I’m currently reading BP's The Book About Managing Rental Properties and noticing that digital rental applications, like those on Zillow Rental Manager, lack some key questions I want answered. I’d also prefer tenants sign a rental application authorizing me, as the landlord, to verify their qualifications (employment, references, etc.). I found a great Rental Application Form in BP's book that I plan to use.

Unfortunately, Zillow doesn’t let me upload or customize their application. Asking tenants to fill out both forms seems redundant, but I don’t see another option.

My questions are:

1. 1. Is it unreasonable to ask tenants to complete another rental application?

2. 2. What’s the best way to gather this information? I was considering uploading the BP's Rental Application Form in DocuSign and providing a QR code for tenants to scan and complete. However, I might run into a problem with applicants filling out a form someone else has already completed, which would be a significant compliance/privacy issue. Thoughts? Do you have any alternative suggestions for digitizing a custom Rental Application that also requires a signature? 

3. 3. Alternatively, I was thinking of adding a QR code to the Application Process & Qualification Standards Form, linking directly to the digital Rental Application Form. I could print copies of the Application Process & Qualifications Standards Form for the open house, allowing interested tenants to take one home, scan the code, and quickly submit the application with their signature for verification. Would this be a more effective approach?

Forms mentioned (from BP's The Book About Managing Rental Properties):

1. Application Process & Qualification Standards Form (pg. 294 or online)
2. Rental Application Form (pg. 296)

[Michael Garofalo]

Hi Carli, 

I self-manage 35 units (mostly residential homes/apartments, and a few storage units) and use Buildium for all of my property management, including applications, background checks, and electronic document signings. It's extremely customizable, easy to use, and seamless. I think you should try to make the process as easy as possible for prospective tenants. No one in this day and age wants to do more work, and filling out duplicative applications/forms would be unnecessary. 

How many units are you currently doing this for and what are your plans for growth over the next year? Buildium isn't too expensive but would be overkill if you just have 1 or 2 units and don't think you are going to scale up in the near future. RentRedi is a good management software which has application/lease signing functionality at a fraction of the cost. I started on that before I graduated to Buildium.