Alabama Rental Application
The Alabama Rental Application is used by landlords before signing a lease agreement to verify a tenant’s background information and credit history. One of the most important steps during the leasing process, requiring prospective tenants complete one is insurance for protecting the rental and the property owner’s finances. Running a series of background checks not only gives proof as to what the applicant claims, it serves as an honesty-check in itself, seeing if the applicant was truthful in their application. If the applicant wasn’t honest, they should not be accepted into the property by any means.
When completing the application, the prospective tenant will be required to provide the following information:
- Contact information
- Alternate names
- Rental history
- Employment history
- Credit history
- Vehicles currently owned (and owned by other occupants)
- Questions on general topics relating to the applicant
- Their dated signature
State Laws
Maximum Application Fee: None. In Alabama, landlords are free to charge as much as they believe is fair. However, it should be kept in mind that the average fee is between $10 and $25.
Security Deposits (§ 35-9A-201): Landlords and property managers are restricted to charging approved tenants a maximum of one (1) months’ rent, except for a few circumstances that permit charging more, which include:
- Pets
- Alterations to the exterior or interior of the property
- In situations where the landlord (or property) has an increase in liability to the landlord or premises
Guide to Understanding Lease Laws: The Alabama Tenants’ Handbook