Identity and address
The ID document confirms who will sign the lease. Proof of current address (rent receipts or an accommodation certificate) lets you check the starting situation.
Documents to request · Estate agency
Tenant application: which documents should you ask the applicant for?
The list of documents to gather for a rental application, for the applicant and the guarantor, with the mistakes to avoid and what the law forbids you to ask for.
An incomplete rental application loses days, sometimes the property. Here is the list of documents to ask the applicant and their guarantor for, within what the regulations allow.
For: estate agencies, property managers and landlords.
The list of documents to ask for
French law restricts the list of documents a landlord or agency may ask a rental applicant for. Stick to the permitted supporting documents and do not ask, for example, for a bank statement.
The applicant
- Valid ID document
- Proof of current address (last 3 rent receipts or accommodation certificate)
Resources
- Employment contract or employer’s certificate
- Last 3 payslips
- Latest tax assessment notice
Guarantor (if needed)
- Guarantor’s ID document
- Guarantor’s proof of address
- Guarantor’s last 3 payslips
- Guarantor’s latest tax assessment notice
Indicative list: the exact documents depend on the file, the organisation and the applicable regulations. Only ask for what is necessary.
Why these documents?
Income
Employment contract, payslips and tax assessment notice are used to assess solvency. They complement each other: a single document is rarely enough to judge a situation.
Guarantor
If a guarantor is required, their documents are of the same kind as the applicant’s. Warn them from the start: they are often the ones who delay the file.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Asking for documents the law does not allow: the list of supporting documents a rental applicant can be required to provide is set by decree in France (no. 2015-1437 of 5 November 2015). A bank statement, for example, is not on it.
- Accepting blurry or cropped photos: say from the request that documents must be legible, complete, as PDFs or well-framed photos.
- Keeping the files of unsuccessful applicants: delete them once the decision is made, in line with the GDPR data-minimisation principle.
- Receiving documents by email or messaging with no control: payslips and tax notices deserve a safer channel than a plain attachment.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents can a landlord not ask a tenant for?
The regulations notably forbid asking for a bank statement, a certificate of good account conduct, an ID photo other than the one on the ID document, a criminal record extract or a medical file. Check the official list set by decree before sending your request.
Should you ask for the guarantor’s documents from the first exchange?
It is better when a guarantor is required: they must gather the same kinds of supporting documents as the applicant, and their file is often the last to arrive.
How long should you keep a rejected applicant’s file?
No period justifies keeping it: delete the documents of an unsuccessful applicant once you have chosen. For the chosen tenant, keep what is needed to manage the lease.
How can you receive the documents without multiplying emails?
A private folder where the applicant uploads files with a dedicated link gathers everything in one place, with no account to create. DocBunker works this way.
Make client exchanges easier
Receive the documents in one place.
One private folder per client: they upload files without creating an account, every file is scanned, and you see what is missing.
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