But many form agreements say that a landlord has 30 days to return an application deposit after rejection. Applications will not be considered until the applicant has filled out, esigned, and paid for their application.A landlord credit check helps determine if you're likely to pay rent. It is required that the letters provided are dated within 30 days of the application date for proper consideration. Who should pay the fee? In most cases, the rental application process is relatively straightforward. It should take somewhere from 24 to 72 hours. Got denied for a 12-month lease because of credit score. In most cases, the rental application process is relatively straightforward. It should take somewhere from 24 to 72 hours.