**Please note that due to the nature of our tenants, including high turnover, subletting, lease transfers, and extended guests, we ask anyone planning to live in the unit for more than one week to submit an application for lease. Whether or not they will be living in the property for the full 12-month lease term, anyone who plans to live in the unit for more than one week is requested to fill out a full application including a guarantor application. Additionally, we require emergency contact information from these same parties. If you are an international student, please give us clear instructions on how to call your emergency contact including time differences, country, and city codes.**
Applying
Before renting to you, most landlords will ask you to fill out a written rental application form. A rental application is different from a rental agreement. The rental application is like a job or credit application. The landlord will use it to decide whether to rent to you.
The application contains an authorization for the landlord to obtain a copy of your credit report, which will show the landlord how you have handled your financial obligations in the past. The landlord may ask you what kind of job you have, your monthly income, and other information that shows your ability to pay the rent.
We always recommend that where ever you choose to live that you rent from a company that requires an application to rent. This ensure you that the company is doing their best to screen for the best tenants, and that the other people in the building where you live have also been approved.
Credit Checks
Landlords and property management companies use your rental application to check your credit history and past landlord-tenant relations. The landlord may obtain your credit report from a credit reporting agency to help him or her decide whether to rent to you. Credit reporting agencies keep records of people’s credit histories, called “credit reports.” Credit reports state whether a person has been reported as being late in paying bills, has been the subject of an unlawful detainer lawsuit (Eviction) or has filed bankruptcy.
The landlord may use this information to make a final decision on whether to rent to you. Generally, landlords prefer to rent to people who have a history of paying their rent and other bills on time. A landlord usually doesn’t have to give you a reason for refusing to rent to you. If the landlord refuses to rent to you based on your credit report, it’s a good idea to get a free copy of your credit report and to correct any erroneous items of information in it. Erroneous items of information in your credit report may cause other landlords to refuse to rent to you also.
Also, if you know what your credit report says, you may be able to explain any problems when you fill out the rental application. For example, if you know that your credit report says that you never paid a bill, you can provide a copy of the canceled check to show the landlord that you did pay it.
For Foreign Students
If you or one of your roommates are coming from abroad, we require the following information:
- a copy of passport/visa
- a copy of your official offer letter from the university
- a copy of your I-9 or your I-20
Application Fees
When you submit a rental application, you must pay for the application screening fee. The cost of the application is $40 and is simply the cost of obtaining information about you, such as checking your personal references and obtaining a credit report.
Forms
To apply for an apartment with Evanston Rentals & Management, we ask you to click on the links below, download and complete the following forms:
TENANT RENTAL APPLICATION
This application allows us to check on your previous rental history, employment status, and credit. It must be filled out by anyone considering living in the property, including sublettors. Please complete this application as thoroughly as possible.
GUARANTOR APPLICATION
This application allows us to check the guarantor’s rental history, employment status, and credit. It must be filled out by the guarantor and spouse (if applicable) as thoroughly as possible.
GUARANTOR FORM
If you will not be paying your rent yourself, the guarantor form is for whoever will be guaranteeing your lease (ie parents). The guarantor must get this form notarized and stamped.
We encourage you to move ahead with the process as quickly as you can, as Evanston Rentals & Management cannot reserve properties.
FAQs
If you turn in an application, but are not sure if you want to rent the apartment, does Evanston Rentals accept “Holding Fees”?
We do not hold apartments for anyone. All our apartments are rented first-come first-serve. We recommend that you coordinate well with your potential roommates ad/or if you have a guarantor paying your rent, to be able to secure your apartment in the most timely manner as we do not hold properties.
If you change your mind about renting is your $40 refundable?
No
How long will it take the landlord to get a copy of your credit report?
No longer than one week
How long will it take the landlord to review the credit report and decide whether to rent to you?
No longer than one week
Is the fee refundable if the credit check takes too long and you’re forced to rent another place?
No, because this is the fee we must pay to obtain the information.
If you already have a current copy of your credit report, will Evanston Rentals accept it?
No, Evanston Rentals reserves the right to request the most recent information on their potential tenants.
Once you have submitted your application, are you required to rent from Evanston Rentals?
No, the application form is non-binding. This means that you are not required to live in the property for which you have applied, nor is Evanston Rentals obligated to reserve this property for you. All the application does is approve you as a potential tenant.
Once your application is approved, is the property reserved for you?
No, Properties are taken off the market when applications have been turned in with $40 in cash or check to Evanston Rentals & Management AND first-month rent.