Landlord Reference Request Form
Download REI Grove's landlord reference request form to verify rental history, payment habits, lease compliance, property care, pet information, and prior landlord feedback during tenant screening.
Key Takeaways
- A landlord reference request form can give landlords another way to verify whether an applicant has been reliable in past tenancies.
- Landlords should keep reference questions focused on rental-related behavior and avoid questions connected to protected or personal information.
- REI Grove's landlord reference request form is organized around tenant authorization, prior landlord details, rental history, payment habits, and more.
- By using this form, landlords can collect more consistent rental history information and make better informed screening decisions.
Requiring a Landlord Reference During Tenant Screening
If you're a landlord running a rental business, you understand the importance of verifying that applicants are reliable. A dishonest or unreliable tenant spells trouble not only for missing rent payments but also for the costs of the eviction process and tenant turnover.
One key step in avoiding unreliable tenants is to require rental applicants to provide references from previous landlords. From time to time, you may also be asked to write a letter or complete a form about one of your tenant's rental histories for their future landlord.
For this reason, we've created a landlord reference letter template that you can use to request information from a tenant's former landlord. In this article, we'll cover the types of information you should and shouldn't ask about a tenant in a landlord reference request to avoid violating fair housing laws.
Why Require a Landlord Reference Letter?
As previously mentioned, thorough and intentional tenant screening is the most effective way for landlords for protect their real estate investments. There is nothing better for your business than a tenant who regularly pays their rent and does not create issues with other tenants. It is always best practice to require prospective tenants to submit applications that detail information like their monthly income, their credit history, and their eviction history. This is the kind of essential information that can determine the qualifications of a tenant.
The function of following up with prior landlords is as an extra layer of confirmation that a candidate is reliable. For instance, if a tenant cost a lot in maintenance, were regularly late with their rent, or caused internal drama with other tenants, this is something that may not be apparent when the only resource a landlord has is the information gleaned from a tenant application.
The purpose of a landlord reference request form is to have a list of questions prepared about the tenant that you'd like answered by their current or former landlord. You can send this form to the applicant, who can forward it to their landlord. After their landlord completes the form, they can mail or email it back to you so you can more thoroughly evaluate the applicant.
Why Write a Landlord Reference Letter?
While you should always require a landlord reference from applicants, you may occasionally be asked to write a reference by one of your current tenants. Even if the tenant in question wasn't a good one, you may be contacted to speak to those negatives in the future. Oppositely, if the tenant was a good one, a letter from a fellow landlord who understands the business and what specific information other landlords will value the most is a great way to communicate that great tenant's value that don't emerge from numbers and statistics.
Although writing a letter for one of your tenants doesn't directly benefit you per say, it does help a future landlord and is a way to pay it forward to someone who was a great tenant and made managing the property easier. And it's a simple and painless task (especially if you use a landlord tenant reference letter template).
What Does the Landlord Reference Request Form Cover?
REI Grove's landlord reference request form is organized into sections that help landlords request consistent, rental-related information from an applicant's current or previous landlord.
The form includes:
- Tenant authorization
- Current or previous landlord contact information
- Rental unit address
- Dates of occupancy
- Monthly rent
- Applicant name and signature
Section 1: Tenant's Authorization
This section allows the applicant to give written permission for a landlord or leasing office to contact previous landlords and obtain details about their rental history. It also collects basic information about the prior landlord, the rental unit, the dates of occupancy, rent amount, and the applicant's identifying details and signature.
Section 2: Landlord Questions
This section gathers feedback from the previous landlord about the applicant's behavior as a tenant. It focuses on key areas such as whether rent was paid on time, the current account status, how well the tenant maintained the property, and whether there was any damage or pest issues.
Section 3: Signature of Property Manager / Landlord
This final section confirms that the information provided is accurate. It includes the landlord or property manager's name, signature, date, and contact details to validate the reference and allow for follow-up if needed.
What Information Should Be Included?
A landlord reference request form should start by getting the tenant's consent for you to verify all their previous landlords, and for those landlords to release information about them. This is an important step that ensures the tenant gives you permission to obtain and use information about them.
The body of the form should then focus on questions you want to zero in on about the applicant. For instance, landlord reference forms usually ask whether the tenant was a prompt payer, whether they incurred any late fees, whether they kept the property clean, or if they violated the lease in any way. If there were any lease violations, you may also want to ask about any cooperative problem-solving or mitigation steps taken by the tenant to resolve disagreements throughout the term.
Some landlord reference request forms include an open-ended section for the prior landlord to elaborate on any of their answers or include the kind of information that cannot shine through on tenant application alone. For example, a landlord reference letter could include the landlord's overall impression and additional comments.
Lastly, every landlord reference form should end with one very telling question: "Would you rent to this tenant again?" This question is an easy way to find out whether the applicant is a worthwhile tenant or not in the opinion of their former landlord.
What Not to Include
Any feedback you ask for in a tenant recommendation letter or request form should be strictly related to their eligibility as a tenant and should remain respectful. Not only would it be inappropriate to ask another landlord to divulge personal information beyond that which is strictly necessary, but maintaining a professional voice also lends more authority to your rental business.
In addition to avoiding asking about personal information that is irrelevant or inappropriate, you should certainly avoid asking about any information related to federally protected classes. The Federal Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968, prohibits any form of housing discrimination on the basis of:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Familial Status
- Disability
- Religion
In addition to this law, many states add additional protected classes such as marital status or sexual orientation. These characteristics cannot be considered in housing decisions, so you should not include them in a reference letter or ask another landlord to divulge them. In fact, it's best to avoid personal or identity-based questions entirely, as it is not necessarily relevant to what is meant to be a professional recommendation.
In general, aim for an impartial tone and objective language rather than asking for personal impressions and reflections. Instead of vague implications, phrase your questions simply and directly. Remain focused on the tenant's suitability for renting throughout the form, and if you're writing a letter, supply only truthful and relevant information.
Tip: Reading through various landlord reference letter samples can help you capture the right tone and reproduce it in your own writing.
Conclusion
REI Grove's landlord reference letter template is a great way to upgrade your tenant screening and ensure you're getting the fullest picture of a prospective tenant. Other landlords' experience with the tenant makes their insight valuable to you, and we hope you take advantage of our resource to ensure that each of your future applicants can supply landlord references that qualify them for your units.
FAQs
What is a landlord reference request form?
A landlord reference request form is a tenant screening tool that landlords can use to request rental history information from an applicant's current or previous landlord.
Why should landlords require a landlord reference?
Landlords should require a landlord reference because it can help verify payment history, property care, lease compliance, and overall reliability before approving an applicant.
What does the landlord reference request form include?
The form includes tenant authorization, prior landlord contact information, rental unit details, dates of occupancy, monthly rent, and more.
Why does the tenant need to authorize the reference request?
It's a legal requirement to get the tenants' consent before viewing their credit or background information. The tenant authorization gives permission for the landlord to verify prior landlords and allows those landlords to release information about the tenant's previous tenancy.
What should landlords ask a previous landlord?
Landlords can ask about prompt rent payment, account standing, cleanliness, safety, sanitation, and whether the landlord would rent to the applicant again.
What should landlords avoid asking?
Landlords should avoid asking about protected classes, irrelevant personal details, or identity-based information. Reference questions should stay focused on rental-related behavior and tenant qualifications.
Can a landlord write a reference letter for a current or former tenant?
Yes. A landlord can write a reference letter, but it should include truthful, relevant, and rental-related information while avoiding protected-class details or irrelevant personal information.