Rental Application FAQs: Questions Answered

Applicants should review the rental home before applying. Available options may include an in-person showing, live video showing, or available video tour. Reviewing the home gives you an opportunity to evaluate its condition, layout, features, location, pricing, and property-specific requirements before paying the application fee.

Start the online rental application through the application portal. Each proposed adult resident age 18 or older must have a separate application and use a separate email address. After the initial application review, SmartMove by TransUnion will email the applicant to authorize credit, background, and eviction screening.

Start the online rental application .

The application fee is $65 for each adult applicant. The fee is not refunded after Rice Real Estate & Property Management has performed the application-processing, credit-report, or background-check activity for which the fee was collected. If the home is rented to a different prospective tenant before that activity is performed, the unused application fee is refunded.

Every proposed occupant age 18 or older must have a separate rental application and use a separate email address. Minor children are listed as occupants but are not screened as adult applicants.

Yes. Each adult applicant must have their own separate application and is responsible for the information submitted in that application, but another person may assist with completing the application when needed. Assistance may also be requested as a reasonable accommodation.

An application may not be submitted using another person's identity or materially false or misleading information. Materially false, misleading, or unverifiable information may result in decline under the published Rental Criteria.

An application is complete when each required adult application, supporting document, and screening authorization has been received. Missing documents or an unanswered SmartMove request may delay review. A complete application may be processed before another application that is still incomplete.

The standard financial qualification path requires the combined documented gross monthly qualifying income of the adult applicants who will be financially responsible under the lease to equal at least three times the monthly rent.

If the financially responsible adult applicants in the household do not collectively meet the 3× income standard, the household may qualify with one qualified co-signer when applicable. The co-signer applies to the household as a whole, not separately to each applicant.

If the financially responsible adult applicants in the household do not collectively meet the standard 3× gross monthly income requirement, the household may qualify with one qualified co-signer when applicable.

The co-signer must independently meet the published co-signer qualification requirements and complete the required application and screening process. The co-signer applies to the household as a whole, not separately to each applicant.

If neither the household's combined qualifying income nor the published co-signer qualification path is satisfied, the household does not meet the financial qualification requirement. Review the Rental Criteria for the current requirements.

Yes. Verifiable gross monthly income from adult applicants who will be financially responsible under the lease may be considered together when applying the income requirement.

Applicants may submit reliable documentation for employment income, self-employment income, retirement income, benefits, support payments, or other income they want considered. The documents must allow Rice Real Estate & Property Management to verify the amount and source.

Applicants should prepare the information and documents that apply to their situation, including:

• Previous addresses and landlord contact information
• Emergency contact and vehicle information
• A recent paystub, hire letter, or other reliable income documentation
• The most recent checking account statement with the applicant's name visible
• Recent savings, retirement, or other reserve-account statements, when available
• Household-pet records when the property allows household pets and a pet will be requested

Applicants may black out bank account numbers. A screenshot showing only a current balance is not enough.

A formal written lease is not required for rental history to be considered. If you rented without a written lease, including from a friend or family member, you may provide the landlord or property owner's contact information and other reasonably verifiable information showing your rental history.

Rice Real Estate & Property Management may contact the landlord or property owner or request additional information when reasonably needed to verify the rental history.

A self-employed applicant should prepare three recent business bank statements and the last two years of federal tax returns with filing confirmation. Additional documents may be requested when reasonably needed to verify income.

Yes. Use the Applicant Document Upload page to submit missing or additional supporting documents. Include information that allows the documents to be matched to the correct applicant and rental home.

SmartMove by TransUnion is the screening service used for credit, background, and eviction screening. After the initial application review, SmartMove sends the applicant an email requesting authorization. The applicant must complete that authorization before the screening portion can move forward.

Rice Real Estate & Property Management also uses the TransUnion ResidentScore provided through the screening process as one factor in the documented 21-point applicant scoring process.

Rice Real Estate & Property Management first reviews complete applications under the published qualification requirements. Applications that remain eligible are then evaluated using a documented 21-point scoring process.

The scoring process considers financial qualification, TransUnion ResidentScore, household debt-to-income ratio, credit payment history, verified cash reserves, recent housing-payment history, and rental or lease performance. Debt-to-income is evaluated for the household using the qualifying income and applicable debt obligations of the financially responsible adult applicants.

Background and eviction information is reviewed separately from the 21-point score. Household-pet review and disability-related reasonable accommodation requests are also handled separately from applicant scoring.

Review the full Rental Criteria and Application Requirements for more detail.

No. Debt-to-income is evaluated for the household using the qualifying income and applicable debt obligations of the financially responsible adult applicants.

Rice Real Estate & Property Management may process multiple applications. If more than one application is received, the rental home may be offered first to the eligible applicant with the highest score. A complete application may move forward before an incomplete application.

Review time depends on whether all applications and documents are complete, whether SmartMove authorization is finished, and how quickly income, rental history, or other information can be verified. Missing documents, unanswered requests, or information that needs clarification may extend the review time.

An applicant may be contacted when clarification or additional documentation is reasonably needed before a final decision can be made. Responding promptly helps prevent avoidable delays, but it does not guarantee approval.

If an application is declined or approved with additional conditions, Rice Real Estate & Property Management will provide the applicable adverse action notice when required.

If information from a consumer report contributes in whole or in part to an adverse application decision, the applicant will receive the disclosures required by federal law.