Renting a house works in a predictable sequence: you assemble income and identification documents, submit an application and pay a screening fee, wait for the landlord to review your credit, background, and rental history, sign a lease if approved, pay the security deposit and first month’s rent, walk through the property to record its condition, and receive the keys. Each step has its own rules, and some are set by federal law while others depend on your state or city.
What You Need Before You Apply
Landlords want proof you can pay. Pull together the last two to three months of pay stubs, or an offer letter if you’re starting a new job. If you work for yourself, expect to hand over the last two years of federal tax returns (Form 1040) or profit-and-loss statements.
The application itself asks for more than income. You’ll usually need to provide:
- Social Security numbers for credit and background checks
- Contact information for at least two prior landlords
- Three years of employment history, including supervisor names and phone numbers
- Government-issued ID for every adult who will live in the home
Give real supervisor numbers. Landlords call them.
How Screening Works
You submit the application through an online portal or at the leasing office, along with an application fee that covers the cost of screening each adult. The landlord then reviews your credit report, criminal history, and any past evictions. Federal law requires a permissible purpose to pull a consumer credit report, and renting is one.
Fair housing rules prohibit landlords from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Those rules apply to both who gets approved and what terms they’re offered.
If you’re denied because of something in your credit report, the landlord has to send you an adverse action notice. It identifies the credit reporting agency, states that the agency did not make the decision, and tells you that you can get a free copy of the report within 60 days and dispute anything inaccurate.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. § 1681m
What the Lease Locks In
The lease is a contract. It names the landlord and every adult tenant, sets the length of the tenancy (often twelve months, sometimes month-to-month or week-to-week), states the monthly rent, and fixes the day rent is due.
Maintenance clauses divide responsibilities. Lawn care, gutters, and minor interior upkeep are commonly assigned to the tenant, while structural and system repairs stay with the landlord. Most jurisdictions require landlords to keep the home habitable — meaning heat, water, and weatherproofing — and that baseline duty generally can’t be waived by anything in the lease. Where a landlord fails to make essential repairs, many states let tenants withhold rent or repair the problem and deduct the cost.
Occupancy limits appear in most leases to satisfy fire codes and zoning, but they still have to comply with familial status protections. Pet policies can restrict breeds, weight, or animals altogether, with one firm exception: landlords generally must make reasonable accommodations for disability-related assistance animals, so a “no pets” rule or breed restriction can’t be used to keep out a service or support animal.2Cornell Law School. 24 CFR § 100.204
What You Pay Before You Get the Keys
Two payments unlock the door: the security deposit and the first month’s rent. Some states cap the deposit at one or two months of rent; others set no limit. If you’re moving in mid-cycle, the first month is often prorated. Landlords may add an administrative fee for setting up the account or preparing the home.
These payments are usually requested by cashier’s check or secure electronic transfer so the funds are guaranteed.
The deposit isn’t gone — it’s held. After you move out, the landlord typically has to return it within a set window (often between 14 and 60 days, depending on the state) along with an itemized statement of any deductions. Deductions are allowed for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, not for the normal aging of paint, carpet, or fixtures.
The Move-In Walk-Through
Before you take possession, walk the house with a move-in checklist and record every existing issue: floor scratches, wall scuffs, appliances that don’t work right, anything that isn’t new. Both parties sign it. That document becomes the baseline when the lease ends and the landlord decides what, if anything, to withhold from your deposit.
Once the checklist is signed, the landlord hands over keys, garage openers, and any access codes. Depending on the lease, you may need to call the local utility providers to move water, electricity, and gas into your name. When the keys change hands and the lease term begins, you have legal possession of the home.
How the Tenancy Ends
Leases end on notice. For most month-to-month arrangements, either side has to give 30 to 60 days before terminating. If you fall behind on rent or break the lease, the landlord has to serve a formal notice to cure the problem or leave, and those nonpayment notice periods are often short — commonly 3 to 14 days before the landlord can file in court.
If you don’t leave after the notice expires, the landlord has to go through the court to regain the property. Self-help eviction is prohibited: a landlord can’t change the locks, remove your belongings, or shut off utilities to force you out. A lawful eviction requires a court order, and it’s carried out by local law enforcement, not by the landlord.