Move-in timing
- Preferred move-in date
- Whether the timing aligns with the property’s availability
For landlords
Tenant Pre-Screening Questionnaire Before Rental Viewings
Collect the same structured, self-declared information from every rental inquiry before deciding whether to schedule a showing.
Nestriq helps organize early rental inquiries. It is not a rental application, credit check, verification service, or final tenant-screening decision.
Free during early access
What is a tenant pre-screening questionnaire?
A tenant pre-screening questionnaire — also called a pre-viewing questionnaire — is an early-stage form landlords send to interested renters. It usually comes after initial interest in a listing, but before a viewing is scheduled.
The goal is practical: collect the same structured information from each rental lead so you are not comparing scattered messages about move-in timing, household size, pets, parking, or other listing details. Responses are self-declared by the renter.
A pre-screening questionnaire does not replace verification, a formal rental application, references, or a credit check. It simply organizes early rental inquiries so landlords can decide which conversations to continue.
Looking for the broader landlord workflow? See Nestriq for landlords. For a practical step list before showings, use the landlord pre-viewing checklist.
See how pre-viewing fits into the full rental listing workflow
When should you send a pre-viewing questionnaire?
Nestriq fits after a rental inquiry and before a formal application or final screening. A straightforward sequence looks like this:
- 1
Publish or advertise the rental
List the property where you normally receive inquiries.
- 2
Receive a rental inquiry
An interested renter reaches out about the listing.
- 3
Share the questionnaire link
Send your pre-viewing questionnaire before booking a showing.
- 4
Review structured responses
Compare the same self-declared details from each lead.
- 5
Decide on follow-up or a viewing
Decide which inquiries to follow up with or invite to a viewing.
- 6
Continue with full screening later
Use your formal application and verification process when appropriate.
Rental processes vary, but Nestriq’s role remains the same: organize self-declared inquiry details before viewings without replacing later screening and verification.
What can a landlord ask before a viewing?
Common practical categories focus on the rental property and tenancy process. This is not an exhaustive list of legally permitted questions, and what is appropriate can depend on the property, your process, and applicable law.
Household details
- Number of intended occupants
- Information reasonably connected to the use of the rental unit
Lease preferences
- Expected lease duration
- Furnished or unfurnished preference where relevant
Pets
- Whether the renter has pets
- Basic self-declared pet details where relevant
Parking and property needs
- Parking requirements
- Storage or accessibility needs
- Other listing-specific requirements
Employment and income information
- Self-declared employment status
- Self-declared income information, where lawful and relevant, considered alongside other permitted screening information
Viewing and communication
- Preferred viewing availability
- Best way to receive scheduling updates
- Questions the renter would like clarified before visiting
Other property-specific questions
- Smoking expectations where lawful and relevant
- Desired amenities
- Questions the landlord normally repeats in rental messages
Keep examples connected to the rental property. Avoid questions about protected personal characteristics, automatic approval or rejection rules, or fixed rent-to-income cutoffs. Wording such as “where lawful and relevant” matters — requirements are not identical everywhere.
Pre-screening questionnaire vs. rental application
These steps often appear at different points in a rental process. Landlords do not all follow the same sequence, and legal requirements can vary.
Pre-viewing questionnaire
- Used early in the inquiry process
- Collects basic self-declared information
- Helps organize viewing decisions
- Does not normally require supporting documents
- Nestriq’s primary role
Formal rental application
- Used later when the renter wants to proceed
- Collects more complete application information
- May request references or supporting documents
- Supports the landlord’s formal evaluation process
Credit or verification check
- Used as part of later due diligence
- May verify credit, identity, income, or references
- Often requires consent
- Not provided by Nestriq
How Nestriq organizes rental inquiries
- 1
Create your rental listing
Add your property details and set up the pre-viewing questions you want answered.
- 2
Share the questionnaire link
Send the link through Marketplace, Kijiji, email, text, WhatsApp, or other rental-inquiry channels.
- 3
Review structured, self-declared responses
See consistent answers from interested renters before deciding who to invite for a viewing.
Landlords may share the questionnaire link through Marketplace, Kijiji, email, text, WhatsApp, and other rental-inquiry channels. This is link sharing — not a claim of formal marketplace integrations.
Prefer a shorter overview? Visit how Nestriq works or review early-access pricing.
Create Your Free QuestionnaireExample pre-screening questions
Use these as starting points for a rental inquiry questionnaire. Adapt them to your property and process.
- When would you like to move in?
- How many people would occupy the rental?
- What lease length are you seeking?
- Do you require parking?
- Do you have pets?
- What is your current employment status?
- Which self-declared income range applies to your household?
- Are there any listing details you would like clarified before a viewing?
These examples are general information only. Landlords should adapt their questions to the property, their process, and applicable law. Do not ask questions related to protected personal characteristics.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about pre-viewing questionnaires and what Nestriq does — and does not — provide.
No. A pre-viewing questionnaire gathers early, self-declared information before a showing. A formal rental application usually comes later, when a renter wants to proceed and the landlord is ready for a fuller evaluation.
No. Responses in Nestriq are self-declared by the rental lead. Nestriq does not verify income, identity, employment, references, or supporting documents.
No. Nestriq does not run credit checks or provide credit reports. Credit or verification checks remain part of the landlord’s later due diligence process, outside Nestriq.
Send it after someone expresses interest in your rental and before you schedule a viewing. That way you can review the structured responses and decide which inquiries to follow up with.
Yes. You can set up the pre-viewing questions that matter for your listing and process, then share the same questionnaire link with interested renters.
You can review the structured, self-declared answers in Nestriq and decide whether to follow up or invite the renter to a viewing. Nestriq does not approve, reject, rank, or recommend tenants. Any formal application or verification steps remain with you.
Nestriq is free for landlords during early access. You can create a pre-viewing questionnaire and collect self-declared rental lead responses at no cost while early access lasts.
No. Nestriq helps organize early rental inquiries and does not replace a formal rental application. Landlords remain responsible for later screening and verification, including any formal application, references, credit checks, or other due diligence they use before signing a lease.
Ready to organize rental leads before showings?
Create a free pre-screening questionnaire, collect self-declared responses, and decide which inquiries to follow up with for a viewing.
Create Your Free QuestionnaireFree during early access · Not a credit check or formal application
Or start from the landlord signup flow.
Nestriq collects self-declared information for use before a rental viewing. It does not replace a formal rental application, credit check, background check, identity verification, or any service that guarantees or recommends tenants. Landlords remain responsible for their full screening process before signing a lease. Free during early access.