Applying for a rental property

Application process

The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) provides best practice guidelines to help you confidently navigate the application process.

Tenants/residents and property managers/owners have rights and responsibilities during the application process. Before you start, make sure you understand the:

  • requirement to use standardised application forms
  • limitations on what information can be requested
  • limitations on what documents can be requested (e.g. payslips, identity documents)
  • rules about the storage and destruction of personal information.

You can read more about this on our application process page.

Personal information

Property managers/owners are responsible for the personal information that's collected and stored during the application process and tenancy agreement.

These responsibilities include:

  • restrictions on the collection of personal information
  • how personal information is stored and accessed
  • how long personal information can be kept
  • how and when personal information is destroyed.

You can learn more on our personal information page.

This short video can help you understand both the application process and personal information.