Tenant pre-screening questions: what to ask every renter before a showing (and what not to ask)

Published November 5, 2026 · General information for small landlords and property managers. This is not legal advice. Laws and local rules change, so check current law or ask a fair-housing attorney about your situation.

Quick answer

Before offering a showing, ask every renter the same 7 questions tied to your written criteria: move-in date, total monthly household income (all lawful sources), their share of the rent if a voucher helps, number of occupants, pets, the smoking policy, and contact details. Never ask about children, disability, religion, national origin, or other protected characteristics, and save SSNs and dates of birth for the full application. See a pre-screen link in action (demo) →

Why pre-screen before you schedule?

Every showing costs you a drive and a time slot. If a renter learns at the door that the rent is above their budget, the move-in date doesn't work, or their dog isn't allowed, that trip was wasted, and renters who aren't sure a unit fits are also the ones most likely to skip the showing. A short pre-screen, asked the same way to everyone, fixes both: only renters who meet your written criteria get a time. It's step 2 of our 6 fixes for showing no-shows.

Jump to: the 7 questions · copy-paste reply · apply them the same way · what not to ask · FAQ

The 7 pre-screening questions

Each one maps to a line in your written criteria. If a question doesn't connect to a written criterion, drop it.

When would you like to move in? Compare it with your available date and how long you'll hold the unit.
What is your total monthly household income? Count income from all lawful sources (wages, self-employment, retirement, benefits, child support, and so on). Don't ask where it comes from to rule anyone out.
Will a voucher or other assistance pay part of the rent? If so, what is your share? Apply your income multiple to the renter's share. Example: rent $1,400, voucher pays $900, renter's share $500; at 3x, the renter needs $1,500 a month, not $4,200.
How many people will live in the unit? Ask for a number only, then compare it with your written occupancy limit.
Will you have any pets? What kind? Assistance animals (service and support animals) are not pets. Handle them as accommodation requests, not under your pet policy or pet fees.
Can you follow the smoking policy? A yes/no is enough.
Name, email, and (optional) phone. Just enough to confirm a time and send a reminder.

Copy-paste reply to a new inquiry

Send the same message to everyone who asks about the unit. Put your criteria first, so renters can rule themselves out before they answer.

Template · Email or text, first reply with pre-screen questions

Hi {name}, thanks for asking about {address}. It's {rent}/month, available {date}. Our written criteria for everyone: monthly household income of at least {multiple}x the rent (income from all lawful sources counts; with a voucher, {multiple}x your share), no more than {max occupants} people, {pet policy}, and {smoking policy}. Assistance animals are not pets. To get a showing time, please reply with: 1. Your ideal move-in date 2. Total monthly household income 3. If a voucher or assistance pays part of the rent, your share 4. How many people will live there 5. Any pets (type) 6. Can you follow the smoking policy? (yes/no) If you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability at any step, just let me know. – {your name}, {company}

More wording (showing confirmations, reminders, no-show follow-ups, voucher and pet questions) is in our rental inquiry response templates. Need the criteria text itself? Use the written rental criteria template.

Apply the answers the same way, every time

Write the criteria down before you list the unit, and put them in the listing.
Ask every prospect the same questions, in the same order, through the same channel when you can.
Decide pass or fail only on the written criteria. If someone doesn't meet one, tell them which one, so they can correct a typo or ask about an accommodation.
Offer showing times to qualifying renters in the order their answers arrive.
Keep the answers and your replies with the listing, so you can show what you asked and why.
Remember that a pre-screen pass isn't an approval. Your full application screening still applies, the same way for everyone.

What not to ask in a pre-screen

The federal Fair Housing Act bars discrimination, and discriminatory statements, based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin (42 U.S.C. § 3604). South Carolina's Fair Housing Law covers the same groups (S.C. Code Title 31, Chapter 21), and some cities and states add more, such as source of income. In a pre-screen, avoid:

Questions about children or family plans ("Do you have kids?", "Are you expecting?"). Ask how many people will live there instead.
Questions about disability, health, or medications, including what condition an assistance animal helps with.
Questions about religion, national origin, citizenship, accent, or where someone is from.
Questions about marital status or relationships between the people moving in.
Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or ID copies just to book a tour.
Anything you wouldn't ask every single prospect.

If a renter asks for a reasonable accommodation, such as more time, a different way to answer, or an assistance animal, consider it under 24 CFR 100.204. Before you post, run your listing through the free fair housing ad checker.

Skip the back-and-forth: a pre-screen link per vacancy

LeaseBlitz turns these questions into one link for your listing. Renters see your written criteria, answer the same questions, and the same check runs for everyone. Only those who meet the criteria can pick a showing time, then they get a "Confirm I'm coming" email and a reminder about 24 hours before. You're emailed for every booking, confirmation, and cancellation. Try the demo (a fictional unit) →

FAQ

What questions can a landlord ask before a showing?

Questions tied to your written rental criteria: desired move-in date, total monthly household income, how many people will live there, pets, whether the renter can follow the smoking policy, and contact details. Ask every prospect the same questions in the same order. This is general information, not legal advice.

What should a landlord not ask when pre-screening renters?

Anything about a protected characteristic under the Fair Housing Act: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status (for example, whether they have or plan to have children), or disability. Also skip Social Security numbers and dates of birth just to book a tour; collect those, if needed, in the full application.

Is pre-screening the same as approving an applicant?

No. A pre-screen only decides who gets offered a showing time. Run your full written screening (application, credit, rental history, and so on) the same way for every applicant after the showing.

How should income be counted when a renter has a voucher?

Count income from all lawful sources. When a voucher or other assistance pays part of the rent, a common and fairer approach is to apply your income multiple to the renter's share of the rent, not the full rent. Some cities and states also protect source of income, so check your local rules.

What occupancy limit is reasonable?

HUD's 1998 occupancy standards notice (the Keating Memorandum) treats two people per bedroom as a general rule that is reasonable, but bedroom size, the age of children, the unit's layout, and state or local codes can change that. Put your limit in your written criteria and apply it the same way to everyone.

Get a pre-screen link on your next vacancy, free

Send us the listing link, your written criteria, and a few showing times. We aim to set up your link the same day. Setup on your first vacancy is free, and a full listing kit comes with it. Try the demo first.

Get free setup on your first vacancy →

Then $79 per vacancy, $49/month for up to 3 vacancies (Starter), or $149/month for up to 15 (Pro).