Tenant Application Form
An encrypted tenant application form for landlords and property managers — personal details, current housing, employment, income, references and document upload, nFADP-compliant and Gleichstellungsgesetz-aware.
About this template
This template provides landlords, property managers and real estate agencies with a structured, encrypted tenant application form. It captures all the information needed to evaluate a prospective tenant — identity, current housing, employment and income, household composition, references, and document upload — in a consistent, privacy-respecting format.
What it collects
- Applicant identity, nationality and contact details
- Current housing situation and reason for moving
- Employment status and employer details
- Monthly gross income and financial situation (debt extract)
- Household composition — adults and children
- Pets
- Desired move-in date
- Personal references
- Document upload — ID, salary statements, debt extract (Betreibungsauszug)
- Applicant signature
Tenant data, nFADP and anti-discrimination obligations
Tenant application data is personal data subject to the nFADP. Landlords may collect information relevant to assessing tenancy suitability — income, references, identity — but may not request data that could enable discrimination on protected grounds (gender, nationality, family status, disability, religion) under the Gleichstellungsgesetz and Art. 8 BV. End-to-end encryption protects sensitive financial and personal information.
How to use it
Use this template
Click 'Use template' to create a copy in your dashboard.
Attach to property listings
Share the form link in your listing or send to interested applicants after a viewing.
Compare applications consistently
Structured fields mean all applicants provide the same data, enabling fair comparison.
Why landlords need a structured digital tenant application form
The Swiss rental market is among the most competitive in Europe. Landlords and property managers receive many applications for each property, and the selection process must be both efficient and legally defensible. A structured digital application form achieves both: it collects consistent, complete data from every applicant and creates a documented record of the application process.
For the applicant, a professional digital form signals a well-organised landlord or agent. For the landlord, it eliminates the time spent chasing missing documents and allows rapid comparison of multiple applications using the same data fields.
What a tenant application form should include
- Identity and contact — legal name, date of birth, nationality, phone, email, current address
- Current housing — whether renting or owning, notice period, reason for moving
- Employment — employer name, position, employment type (permanent/fixed-term/self-employed)
- Income — monthly gross salary; for self-employed, prior year net income
- Household — number of adults and children who will live in the property
- Pets — type and number
- Debt extract (Betreibungsauszug / extrait des poursuites) — standard requirement in Switzerland
- References — from current or previous landlord
- Move-in date preference
What landlords may and may not ask
Swiss landlords may request information necessary to assess the tenant's ability and willingness to pay rent and maintain the property: identity documents, income/employment verification, and the Betreibungsauszug. Landlords may NOT ask questions designed to identify or screen based on protected characteristics — nationality origin (beyond what appears on documents), religion, sexual orientation, disability unrelated to tenancy, or planned pregnancy.
The Betreibungsauszug — standard in Switzerland
The Betreibungsauszug (debt enforcement extract / extrait des poursuites) is a document from the cantonal debt enforcement office listing any outstanding debt enforcement proceedings against the applicant. It is the standard Swiss equivalent of a credit check and is requested from virtually all applicants. Applicants obtain it from their commune and it typically costs CHF 17–20. It is valid for 3 months.
Paper applications vs digital encrypted applications
| Paper / email application | Digital encrypted form | |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Different data from each applicant | Structured data from all applicants |
| Data protection | Financial data in unencrypted emails | Encrypted before leaving applicant device |
| Document handling | Loose scans in email threads | Secure upload, linked to application record |
| Comparison | Manual extraction and comparison | Side-by-side structured data comparison |
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask for a copy of the applicant's passport?
Yes — identity verification is a legitimate purpose. Under nFADP, you must inform the applicant how the data will be used and stored, and delete it promptly if the applicant is not selected.
Can I reject an applicant based on their Betreibungsauszug?
Yes. The Betreibungsauszug is one of the standard criteria for tenant selection. Rejecting an applicant with outstanding debt enforcement proceedings is a legitimate business decision, not discrimination.
Is the application data encrypted?
Yes. All application data — including uploaded salary statements and debt extracts — is encrypted in the browser before submission. Only authorised property management personnel can access it.
For more context, see our real estate use-case page and our guide to tenant data management under Swiss rental law.