Washington Rental Application Form
Are you eyeing a rental property in Washington? The first thing you need to do is submit a Washington Rental Application Form. It is a document that property owners or landlords provide applicants who want to be tenants in an apartment building.
A rental application form is also tantamount to the applicant’s consent to undergo a screening process. When the applicant signs the form, it means they permit the landlord to do a background check on them. The rental application template will ask for the applicant’s personal information, employment details, rental history, and references.
Next, the landlord will verify the details on the rental application. They would check the applicant’s creditworthiness and reliability in paying rent on time. Most landlords also ask for a payslip to be attached to the standard rental application form as it is a good indicator that the applicant can afford to pay rent.
When an applicant submits to the screening, they should be aware of their rights. According to the Federal Fair Housing Act, landlords cannot reject applications based on race, gender, religion, country of origin, familial status, or disability.
Rental Application Fee
There is no limit to how much rental application fee a Washington landlord can charge. However, the state makes it clear that landlords should not profit from application fees. The average charge is between $30 and $40. This amount covers the cost of the background check, which is usually done by a third party.
Before the applicant submits the form and pays the fee, the landlord should inform them of the screening process. A prospective tenant should know the type of information that will be collected.
Security Deposits
Unlike the rental application fee, a security deposit is refundable. In Washington, the deposit must be returned to the tenant within 21 days of leaving their rented space, but only if there was no damage to the residential property and no unpaid rent.
There is no limit to how much security deposit a Washington landlord can charge a tenant. However, there are measures in place to prevent overcharging. The rental lease agreement should state a provision for the security deposit and how it will be used. It must specify the items that can be deducted from the security deposit at the end of the tenancy.
An itemized checklist of deductions from the security deposit, signed by both the landlord and tenant, is also required by Washington law (WA Rev Code § 59.18.260-280).