Landlord Lease Application Packet: Fill & Download for Free

My landlord, who doesn’t bother enforcing lease conditions about not selling drugs on the property or smoking in the apartment or under windows, has a 50-page packet of lease conditions, addenda, and “house rules” considered equally binding as lease conditions. These include:Tenants may not cool the apartment below 78F or heat it above 63F even though the tenant is paying the heat pump’s electric billTenants must wash all dishes before leaving the apartmentTenants must clean the bathtub weeklyTenants must never let food get in the garbage disposal (even soft food)No bicycles in the apartment or on the balconyOnly patio furniture and plants on the balconyNo plants visible above the edge of the balconyNo displays in windows (political signs, sports fan signs, etc.) or on doorsAnd there have been a lot of unwritten rules too:Tenants must have a televisionTenants should take time off work for management-sponsored social and informational eventsTenants should attend harm reduction classes even if they do not have a condition where that is applicableHalloween decorations are permitted on doors but must be removed by November 1stNo liquid craft materials are permitted in apartments, even water-based paint and glue, if the tenant is using them to generate profit (home office is OK but not keeping supplies)The previous landlord had even more strict rules:Tenants who have a temporary illness, such as the flu, must hire a housekeeper to clean the house every day (and here is the contact information for a cleaner who lives in the building, charges cash, and requires the tenant to be out of the unit during cleaning)Tenants are not permitted to keep books in the apartment; they attract roaches and the building has a library of donated books tenants can readTenants whose health issues require too many 911 calls must use Uber insteadTenants are not permitted to call 911 when they witness tenants committing sexual assault in the common areas or overhear sexual assault in an apartment

As Bruce mentioned in his answer, the key is the market. Its basic supply and demand. If the supply of available rental properties are low and the demand for them from tenants is high, then you are not going to have much leverage if you are going to negotiate a better deal with the owner.That said, EVERY building can be different. Different owners, different management, different policies. Now, if you happen to fall in love with an apartment in a particular building that for some reason happens to have a number of vacancies and/or upcoming availabilities, then the market dynamic is different. Within that one particular building, supply may be high, and demand low, and therefore you may be able to leverage yourself a better deal. The same may be the case for a particular property owner, who may have a ton of vacancies in one property, but only one vacancy in the building you are interested in. In that case, he may be so desperate to recoup his losses from another property that he could be willing to negotiate the rental price.In either case, or, indeed, in many cases, if you are a financially sound and responsible tenant with good rental history, or are someone who can move immediately and thus eliminate the number of days vacant his apartment might sit, many landlords would be willing to give you a small concession of some kind. Even $50 off a parking spot helps.If you are going to submit an offer and attempt to get a better deal, you need to know who actually has the power to grant you that concession. If the owner is an old school mom and pop, then they must ultimately decide. Most buildings today are owned by larger corporations who have complex in-house property management teams that utilize software to update the pricing hourly, based on availability throughout the company's entire real estate portfolio. Most luxury buildings operate like this. The way they look at it is that their research is far better than yours, so unless you have a compelling case proving why their apartment is actually worth the price you are offering, they are going to go with their own research.The best thing to do is to put together the best application packet ever. Include a cover letter explaining who you are and who you'll be living with, what you do, etc. Make yourself look as good as possible. Then include a standard apartment rental application, credit report, letters of reference for landlords, copies of pay stubs to prove your employment, copy of your picture ID, and any other positive financial documents that make you look financially stable and prosperous. At the end of the packet (or at the beginning), create a simple, clear term sheet, listing the price you are offering, when you are going to move in, how long the lease will last, whether or not you need parking, whether or not you have any pets, and whether or not you expect any utilities to be paid by the landlord.Generally speaking, you have nothing to lose by making an offer.

When you come to my office to apply, you will pay the application fee and security deposit (equal to one month rent), at this time you will be signing your lease and any other documents. The application fee covers the cost of the credit check, rental history and criminal background check. If you are approved your deposit is applied to your lease, if you are denied your deposit is returned to you. When you come to get your keys and move in packet you will pay your first months rent and if required the last months rent as well. If you fail to show up to move in we keep the deposit.