5 reasons why your rental application may be refused

Perth landlords are spoilt for choice at the moment and this can make things difficult for people who are looking for properties to rent.

At D Residential, we often hear from applicants who are frustrated to have missed out on a property. We often have many applications for each home, rejections are never personal. More often than not, it will be because there are one or two criteria that have not been met.

If you are looking for a rental property in Perth, here are some insights into our process. 

Tenant applications: 5 reasons why your rental application may be refused 

1. Payment history

Property managers have access to an applicant’s rental history.

If we see that someone has struggled to pay their rent on time in the past, we are likely to move on to the next applicant. An exception may be if there is an explanation offered and evidence that late payments were a one-off, not a trend. 

Before you apply to lease a home, do what you can to make sure you don’t have a history of missed rental payments, especially in recent months. 

2. A negative listing on a tenancy database

Tenancy databases are a collection of information compiled by private companies that list the quality of rental tenants. In Western Australia, a person can be ‘blacklisted’ as a tenant and added to the database if they have breached a tenancy agreement, and:

• A court has made an order terminating the tenancy agreement; or
• After the tenancy has ended, the tenant owes the property owner more than the security bond will cover

If you are applying for rental properties and you need to get around this issue, contact your former agent or landlord and find a way to discuss the matter. You may need to pay outstanding bills or, in a worst-case scenario, take the matter to court.

3. Previous inspection reports

Tenants can expect regular rent inspections while they rent a home as well as a final exit inspection. 

When reviewing applications your new property manager will ask for records from your previous property manager or landlord including your most recent routine inspection. 

If you can share a history of positive inspection reports, it will add to your application.

4. Inaccurate or unreliable references

If your references don’t check out; you will miss out. Written references are helpful but a property manager will usually confirm your references by making a phone call. 

Before you leave your current place, ask the landlord or property manager if they are happy to provide a reference. If they are expecting a call, it makes things easier for everyone. 

Do the same at work as a property manager will call your workplace to double check that you work there. 

5. Incomplete application forms

At a time when Perth rental vacancies are low, tenants need to be diligent when filling out application forms. Missed sections mean we have to follow up, so we look for the forms with everything filled in correctly to save time. 

Double-check before you hit submit! If there are dozens of applications and you haven’t filled out all the right information, you will put yourself on the back foot. 

Talk to us today

At D Residential, we take extra care in selecting tenants so that relationships last longer and everyone has a positive experience. If you have been consistently missing out on homes, double check you meet the above criteria, update your application process and try again. 

If you would like to know more about renting through us or leasing your property in Perth? Contact our team today.