Wisconsin Rental Application Form
The first step to renting an apartment in Wisconsin is to submit a Washington Rental Application Form to the property’s landlord. It is a document that allows the landlord to look into a prospective tenant’s history and ability to pay.
A rental application form is a standard form where the applicant enters their personal information, employment details, rental history, and references. The landlord will compare all rental application forms to find the best tenant for their property.
The applicant should be truthful in their application form because the landlord will also do a background check. When the applicant signs the form, they are also giving the landlord consent to screen them. The information in the document will serve as a basis for the landlord to check if the applicant can afford to pay rent and if they pay rent on time based on their previous tenancy.
On the part of the applicant, they should be aware of their rights under the Federal Fair Housing Act. They should know that a landlord cannot reject their application just because of the color of their skin, religion, country of origin, gender, familial status, or disability.
Rental Application Fee
The maximum rental application fee that a Wisconsin landlord can charge is $20. It is a non-refundable amount that accompanies the rental application form. It will cover the cost of processing the application, which involves a background check.
Wisconsin landlords are also obliged to give the tenant a copy of the background report.
Security Deposits
In Wisconsin, no statute defines the maximum security deposit that a landlord can charge a tenant. Before the security deposit is collected, the tenant has the right to inspect the residential property for damages so that it will not be included in the deductions at the end of the tenancy. The landlord must also issue a receipt when they receive the security deposit.
The major reason landlords collect security deposits is to ensure that there is a fund to cover possible property damages or if the tenant fails to pay rent. In Wisconsin, the landlord has 21 days to return the security deposit, or what’s left of it after deductions, to the tenant. If any amount has been withheld from the security deposit, the landlord has to provide the tenant with an itemized list of deductions (WI Stat § 704.28 (2021)).