The time it takes to approve a rental application varies, depending on many factors. All documents must be submitted before an application can be processed/reviewed and approved by the property management company. If everything is approved, the process may take anywhere from a few days to several weeks; however, there is also the possibility that an application may be rejected if it does not meet the requirements.

Many things affect how long it takes for a rental application to be approved: type of property (i.e., apartment, condominium, single-family home), number of applicants and their incomes, credit scores, background checks...among other variables. The best way to find out how long it will take for your rental application to be approved is to speak with a leasing specialist at the specific property management company where you would like to rent and ask questions about what documents they need submitted and why.

Generally, a landlord will review all applications submitted for reviewing tenants who will rent a property. Each applicant's background information and credit history will be checked thoroughly during this step. A landlord also looks at recent pay stubs or salary statements in order to calculate monthly income for each tenant applying to see if applicants meet the minimum income requirement set in place by the landlord for that specific property (this information can vary based on property type).

When applying to rent a property, it is always best practice to come prepared with the required documents. This ensures that shouldn't any problems or issues arise with your rental application you will be able to correct them right away for approval quicker. If all of the required documentation has not been submitted by the time an application needs to be reviewed (or if there are outstanding 'issues' within an application) this may cause delays in processing which could interfere with leasing terms set out by management company and/or landlord. It is always advised that anyone who is looking into renting a home or property should first contact that specific property management company where they would like to move-in and inquire about what's needed for their application.

Asking questions first can save you time, money and give you peace of mind knowing that your rental application is being processed correctly.  

It is possible to apply for more than one rental property at the same time. While it's not advised, there are no laws in place that prohibit an individual from submitting multiple applications for different properties.  That being said, keep in mind that more than one application will be processed and more than one background check will be run for each property. This means it can take longer to get approved for all of the properties you're interested in if there are outstanding issues with an application or unresolved documents required.

One of the most common misconceptions about approval time is that applicants who have a bad credit score will never get approved. This isn't always the case; in fact, many property management companies allow you to rent a home or apartment even with a low credit score if there's enough income involved, but it can take longer for an application to be reviewed and approved. There are other factors that may come into play when someone applies for a rental with a lower than perfect credit score such as landlord discretion which means it depends on what your specific situation is.

While there are no guarantees when applying to rent, any person/applicant who has bad credit must present additional information with their application so landlords have a full understanding of why they have had issues in the past. Additionally, you should be prepared to answer why you think your credit score is low during the application process, as it's one of the first questions landlords are going to ask.

It is possible that an applicant's name may end up on a rental blacklist. It's also possible that someone who is renting privately (direct with the landlord) could be added to this list as well. A rental blacklist lists out names of individuals who are known for destroying properties or not paying their rent in full and on time. This most commonly occurs at places like apartment buildings where there are many units/apartments occupied by multiple tenants within one building.

In some cases, an individual can get themselves added to a rental blacklist from bad tenant habits such as breaking lease agreements/terms without good reason, damaging property or disturbing other tenants. In every case it will depend on what situation you're involved in - if your name ends up on a rental blacklist, you should speak with the property management company or landlord responsible for adding it to find out why.

In most cases, there are no public records available for this type of information. It's best advised not to worry too much about what's added to rental blacklists unless you're sure that it's impacting your ability to rent (i.e., someone at the property management company where you're trying to move in tells you that they cannot approve an application because your name is listed).

Whether you get approved or denied will depend on many factors including application materials submitted, income levels and reasons behind any missed rental payments. If you allow enough time for the application process and all of your paperwork is in order, it's more likely that you will get approved unless there is a major issue with the landlord.

In some cases, an applicant may be denied because of things listed on their credit report such as being evicted from a previous property even if it's been years since this occurred. In other cases, the reason why someone doesn't get approved could be something simple such as lack of income or having poor references from previous landlords.