How To Handle A Tenant Request For A Reference

What do you do if a tenant asks for a landlord reference?

You may give the reference, as you may want tips from another landlord about the reliability of a tenant looking to rent a home from you.

That means giving an honest assessment of how the tenant looked after their home and if they paid the rent on time - but be careful what you say, as being too forthright can come back to bite you.

What is a landlord reference?

A landlord reference is part of the process of checking a prospective tenant's rental history by contacting their current or previous landlord and asking:

• Confirmation of tenancy start and end dates

• Verify the rent was paid on time and not in arrears

• How did the tenant look after the rented home

• Comments about behaviour, communication, and any disputes

• If the landlord would rent to the tenant again

Essentially, the document is a character reference focused on how the tenant treated the rental property rather than personal traits.

Why landlord referencing matters

For Landlord:

• Rating financial risk: Conflicts over late payments, property damage, and legal disputes are expensive. A reference helps identify inconsiderate behaviour before becoming a problem.

• Better tenant matching: A strong reference signals reliability, which often leads to longer, more stable tenancies.

• Legal and financial protection: Referencing before a tenant moves in supports compliance with rent guarantee insurance or mortgage conditions.

What landlords want to see in a reference

A standard landlord reference might include questions, such as:

• Did the tenant pay rent on time?

• Did they look after the property?

• Were there any complaints or disputes, including with neighbours?

• Did they follow the terms of the tenancy agreement?

• Would you rent to them again?

Some landlords also request supporting documents, like bank statements or employment verification, though these fall under broader tenant referencing rather than landlord-specific checks.

What not to say in a reference

Landlord references must be:

• Accurate -- No exaggerations or misleading statements.

• Fair -- Personal grudges should not influence the reference.

• Compliant with privacy laws -- Tenants must consent to the sharing of their information.

Tenants also have the right to challenge false or defamatory references. Giving a defamatory reference could lead to a libel case in court.

Landlords should stick to the facts and avoid giving their opinions about tenants' behaviour or character.

You may be saying goodbye to the tenant from hell, but you must not say that in a reference unless you can back the comments with some unarguable facts.

Should I ask for a landlord's reference for my current applicant?

Be careful when asking for a current landlord reference. If the landlord wants to quickly remove a bad tenant, they might give you a good reference to get rid of them! A previous landlord may run less risk.

Do I have to give a landlord reference?

No, there is no rule requiring a landlord to give a reference (except that some licensing schemes may include it as a condition of the licence, so check). It would be better to have a blanket policy on the point so you can be seen as treating all tenants equally.

If you don't want to give a reference, you can reply with something like: "It's company policy not to provide references".