Free New York Rental Application Form

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Table of Contents:

What Is a New York Residential Rental Application
New York Rental Applications by Type
What to Include in a New York Rental Application Form
New York Rental Application Laws
New York Rental Application Sample
Related Documents
FAQs About New York Rental Application Form

What Is a New York Residential Rental Application

A New York rental application is a legal document used by landlords and property managers to assess and choose an appropriate tenant for a rental property. They are sometimes known by other common names such as:

Tenant applications
Rental lease applications
Lease applications
Application for a rental property

Having a rental application can prove highly important to make sure you get the right tenant into your property. The process of screening prospective residents in this way allows you to discover any issues such as their inability to pay rent or the likelihood to cause a nuisance before signing a contract.

New York Rental Applications by Type

There are two main types of rental applications in New York. You must select the most relevant one depending on the type of property being rented, local laws, and the type of leasing agreement that will be used.

Standard/General New York Rental Application

The most common type of vetting document used by NY landlords is the New York Standard Rental Application. This form can be customized according to the specific necessities of the property owner or manager.

Department of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) Rental Application

Landlords of low-income tenants or those offering Section 8 Housing should use a HUD rental application. It is specifically designed to only include information that is allowed under subsidized housing rules.

What to Include in a New York Rental Application Form

When you fill in a simple rental application form for NY you’ll need to ask for some crucial data from the tenant to make the vetting process as effective as possible.

When you create your own application for a rental property you should request the following information:

Personal data
Rental history
Employment details
Income information
Credit history
Personal references
Permission for background checks

Furthermore, landlords must make a number of important disclosures on a standard rental application form. This information might include:

The property’s condition
Potential hazards to the tenant
Shared utility arrangements
Rent control rules
Smoking policy
The security deposit
Associated fees

New York Rental Application Laws

New York state has various laws regarding the use of rental applications. If your document is not compliant with NY law, you may get sued by the applicant and face legal consequences.

Application Fee

There is no limit in terms of what application fee can be charged by New York landlords. Furthermore, the application fee is non-refundable regardless of its amount.

Security Deposit

Landlords cannot charge more than 1 months’ rent if they are leasing an unfurnished apartment under NY law (§ 7-103 and § 7-108). This does not apply to units that are subject to City Rent and Rehabilitation Law or the Emergency Housing Rent Control Law.

Housing Discrimination Law

In New York, there is no specific state law relating to housing discrimination. However, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) is in place. The FHA states that it is illegal to discriminate based on the following characteristics:

Race
Color
Nationality
Religion
Sex
Familial status
Disability
Criminal history

As a consequence, you are not allowed to ask for any of these details on a New York Rental Application form nor to include them in the decision-making process.

Notice of Eligibility

Potential tenants must be informed about the screening criteria and reasons for denial or approval. To prove that these facts were shared, a signature of acknowledgment must be provided within the application or alongside it.

Consent Credit Check

Within New York, federal law is in effect that requires potential renters to provide written consent for a credit history check during the application process. This is known as the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

New York Rental Application Sample

Looking over a readily prepared template of a rental application can make it much easier to create your own. Review our document sample below to get more familiar with what your application form will look like when it’s completed.

PDF WORD

FAQs About New York Rental Application Form

Having a good idea of what you can and cannot use a New York rental application for is important. In our FAQs below, we explain what is and isn’t allowed when you create your own form.

Why Do I Need a New York Rental Application?

A New York rental application gives you the opportunity to learn more about your tenant before committing to a legal contract with them. The application lets you collect data on your prospective rental resident so you may carry out important checks to:

Review their rental history
Verify their employment and income
Learn of any criminal history or credit issues

What Cannot Be Asked on Rental Applications in New York?

You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with a NY rental application document. You must not request any of the following information from the applicant during this process:

Race or ethnicity
Religion
Sexuality
Immigration or citizenship status
Arrest records
Marital or familial status
Whether they have children or not

What Is The Screening Process in New York?

When you wish to rent out your property to a tenant you can use a NY rental application to check the potential resident before they move in. This allows you to get important background information from the applicant.

In New York you might use a rental application to find out any of the following about a prospective tenant:

Whether they can afford rent or not
If they have a positive or negative rental history
If they are employed
Their credit history
Whether they have committed any crimes or felonies

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Preview of your New York Rental Application

RENTAL APPLICATION

The following sections must be completed by the Applicant. Please note that, except for married couples, each occupant who is 18 years of age or older has to complete a separate application to rent.

Shall the Applicant have any question regarding the rental unit, please contact _________ at:
Email Address: _________
Phone: _________

The Applicant is a: (check one)

( ) Tenant
( ) Tenant with co-tenant(s)
( ) Guarantor/co-signor

PREMISES INFORMATION

Application to rent property at the following address:

_________ , _________, NY _________

Type of Property: House
Date of Availability: _________
Proposed Move-In Date: _________

APPLICANT'S INFORMATION

Please attach a copy of your Driver's License, State ID, Military ID, or Passport.

FULL NAME OF APPLICANT: ________________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: _________________________ (Optional. For purpose of obtaining credit reports. Age discrimination is prohibited by state and federal law)
Driver's license number or any valid ID: _________________ State: ______________ Expires: _________________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
Home Phone: (______) ___________ Alternative Phone: (______) ___________

CO-APPLICANT’S INFORMATION (if applicable)

Please attach a copy of your Driver's License, State ID, Military ID, or Passport.

FULL NAME OF CO-APPLICANT: ________________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: _________________________ (Optional)
Driver's license number or any valid ID: _________________ State: ______________ Expires: _________________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
Home Phone: (______) ___________ Alternative Phone: (______) ___________

OTHER OCCUPANTS’ INFORMATION (if applicable)

Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Relation to Applicant: ______________________ Date of Birth: ______________ (Optional)

Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Relation to Applicant: ______________________ Date of Birth: ______________ (Optional)

EMERGENCY CONTACT

In case of emergency, please contact:

Emergency contact #1: ____________________________________________________
Relationship: _______________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________

Emergency contact #2: ____________________________________________________
Relationship: _______________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Pets

Pets are not allowed in the rental property. However, as provided by law, a Service Animal(s) is not considered a pet, and every individual with a disability shall have a right to have a Service Animal(s) on the Property.

Waterbeds

The Landlord prohibits the use of waterbeds on the rental unit.

Smoking and Vaping

The Landlord does not allow smoking or vaping in the rental unit.

CONSENT & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

By signing this Residential Rental Application, the Applicant accepts and agrees to the following:

(i)	This is only an application to rent and does not guarantee that the Applicant will be selected as a tenant of the premises.
(ii)	The Landlord or Manager or his/her authorized Agent could receive multiple rental applications for the premises and will only select the most qualified individual.
(iii)	Applicant represents the above information to be true and complete.

Applicant hereby authorizes the Landlord or Manager or his/her authorized Agent to do the following:

(i)	Verify all of the personal information provided above.
(ii)	Obtain a credit report, as well as other reports, on the Applicant.
(iii)	Applicant further authorizes the Landlord or Manager or his/her authorized Agent to disclose information to the owners or agents of the premises with whom the Applicant intends to have a rental relationship.

Does the Applicant wish to receive a copy of the reports that we may obtain?

Yes ( ) No ( )

Notice of Non-Discrimination

The Landlord does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any approval/disapproval of this application.

_______________________________	___________
Applicant's Signature	Date

_______________________________	___________
Co-Applicant's Signature	Date