On a rental application, “relationship to applicant” asks how another person on the form is connected to you, the main applicant. You answer with a short label from your side of the relationship, such as “spouse”, “son”, “roommate”, “partner” or “former landlord”, depending on whether the line belongs to an occupant, a co-applicant, an emergency contact or a reference.
The field looks the same everywhere on the form, but it means slightly different things in each section. Below is how to read it in each place, what to write, and what to leave out.
Where the Relationship Field Appears on a Rental Application
Most rental applications ask for a relationship in up to four places:
- Additional occupants. Everyone who will live in the unit but is not signing the lease, usually children or other dependants. Here you describe how each person is related to you: “daughter”, “son”, “grandmother”, “nephew”.
- Co-applicants. Other adults who will sign the lease with you. The label is “spouse”, “partner”, “roommate”, “sibling” or “friend”.
- Emergency contact. Someone the landlord can call if something happens to you or the unit and you cannot be reached. The label is how that person knows you: “mother”, “brother”, “friend”.
- Personal or rental references. People who can speak for you as a tenant or a person. Here the relationship is the reference’s role: “previous landlord”, “property manager”, “employer”, “coworker”.
If a guarantor or co-signer section asks the same question, it has its own conventions; see our guide to guarantor relationship to the applicant.
Why Landlords Ask for the Relationship
The landlord is not being nosy. The label helps them with a few practical jobs:
- Knowing who lives there. A lease usually lists the people allowed to occupy the unit. The relationship tells the manager whether an occupant is a child, a dependent adult or someone who should really be screened as a co-applicant.
- Weighing a reference. A previous landlord can confirm rent was paid on time; a cousin cannot. The label tells the manager what kind of information to expect when they call.
- Reaching the right person in an emergency. If there is a fire, a leak or a welfare concern, the manager wants to know whether the contact is a close family member.
- Setting up the lease. Adults who share the household may each need to apply, sign and pass screening. Children usually do not.
How to Fill In Relationship to Applicant
- Answer from your point of view. The field asks what the other person is to you. If your mother is your emergency contact, write “mother”, not “son”.
- Use one plain word or a short phrase. “Spouse”, “daughter”, “roommate”, “previous landlord”. The form is scanned quickly and a clear label is all it needs.
- Be specific when a word is vague. “Relative” or “family” says little; “aunt” or “stepson” says exactly who they are.
- For references, add the context if there is room. “Previous landlord, 2 years at Oak Street apartment” is more useful than “landlord”.
- Stay consistent. If your partner is listed as a co-applicant as “partner”, do not call them “roommate” in another section.
Relationship to Applicant Examples
| Person on the form | Section | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Your husband or wife | Co-applicant | Spouse |
| Your unmarried partner | Co-applicant | Partner or domestic partner |
| A friend you are renting with | Co-applicant | Roommate |
| Your child | Additional occupant | Son or daughter |
| Your partner’s child | Additional occupant | Stepson, stepdaughter or partner’s child |
| A parent moving in with you | Additional occupant | Mother or father |
| A child you are raising for a relative | Additional occupant | Grandson, niece, or legal ward if that applies |
| Your sister, living elsewhere | Emergency contact | Sister |
| A close friend | Emergency contact | Friend |
| Your current landlord | Rental reference | Current landlord |
| The company that manages your building | Rental reference | Property manager |
| Your boss | Personal reference | Employer or supervisor |
| A colleague | Personal reference | Coworker |
For more wording ideas for the contact section, see our list of emergency contact relationship examples. If the form asks a reference to describe how they know you, our guide to relationship to applicant for a reference covers that side.
What Not to Write
- “Self” in the wrong place. “Self” belongs only on a line that describes you, and most forms do not need it at all.
- Nicknames or jokes. “Bestie”, “my other half” or “the boss” look careless on a document a landlord uses to decide.
- A relationship that is not true. Calling a roommate a “cousin” to avoid screening them, or calling a friend a “former landlord”, can give the landlord grounds to reject the application or end the lease later. If you are unsure how to describe someone, ask the leasing office.
- Your own relatives as rental references. Unless the form asks for personal references, family members are not what a landlord wants when they ask for a rental history.
- Blank lines. If a section does not apply, write “N/A” rather than leaving it empty, so the manager knows you did not skip it.
Related Fields on the Same Form
- Number of occupants. The total should match the people you list, including yourself.
- Age or date of birth of occupants. Often asked next to the relationship so the landlord can tell adults from minors.
- Length of relationship or “how long known”. Common for references; give years or months.
- Contact phone and email. Check that every reference and emergency contact knows they are listed and will answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I list my children as occupants? Yes. Anyone who will live in the unit normally goes on the application, and the relationship for a child is “son” or “daughter”.
- What do I write for a roommate I found online? “Roommate”. The relationship does not need to be long or personal; it just needs to be accurate.
- Is “partner” acceptable, or do I have to say “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”? “Partner” is clear and widely used. Any accurate term is fine.
- Can my emergency contact live with me? It is better if they do not. The point of the contact is to reach someone when you and the household cannot be reached, so an outside contact is more useful.
Final Thoughts
Relationship to applicant is one of the easiest lines on a rental application: say what the other person is to you, in one clear word, and keep it consistent across sections. The only real mistake is an inaccurate label, so if a relationship is complicated, use the plainest true description and explain it to the leasing office if they ask.
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