A landlord reference letter is a normal part of the rental application process, providing landlords with an additional way to screen prospective tenants while allowing renters to strengthen their applications. A good recommendation doesn’t take much time, but it should include important information about the renter’s tenancy, such as whether they paid rent on time and if it was an overall good experience.
[Read: 8 Red Flags to Help You Spot a Rental Scam.]
Here’s how to ask for a landlord recommendation letter as well as how to write one to make the application process a little easier:
— What is a landlord reference letter?
— How to ask for a landlord recommendation letter.
— What to include in a landlord reference letter.
— Landlord recommendation letter sample.
— When would a landlord refuse to provide a letter of recommendation?
What Is a Landlord Reference Letter?
A landlord reference letter is a letter of recommendation written for a prospective tenant by a current or former landlord of the tenant, explains Sonja Gosine, spokesperson at Hauseit, a real estate service in New York and Florida. The reference letter is sometimes requested with the rental application to complete the background check, but not all landlords request a reference letter.
Reference letters show the landlord that the tenant is responsible, paid rent on time and kept their apartment in good condition. It can also strengthen an application to make up for any shortfalls, like a low credit score, or help make an application stand out when there’s competition for the rental property. “It’s an essential part of tenant selection because, as the saying goes among landlords, ‘If they’ve treated one landlord poorly before, they’ll probably treat you poorly as well,'” Gosine says.
How to Ask for a Landlord Recommendation Letter
Landlords are under no obligation to provide a letter of recommendation, so it may be a good idea to ask a landlord who had a good experience with you throughout your tenancy.
To get a landlord reference letter, you will need to ask your current or former landlord for a recommendation. Reach out using the contact information that was provided during your tenancy and politely request a letter written for the prospective landlord. If the prospective landlord requests the recommendation letter, be sure to provide your previous landlord’s contact information.
What to Include in a Landlord Reference Letter
Landlord reference letters will vary in style, but they include many of the same components. The letter should be informative and honest, but there are some things that may need to be avoided. “In order to protect themselves, landlords should try to be as objective as possible in their landlord reference letter. Avoid including anything that might incur liability, or run afoul of fair housing laws,” Gosine explains.
[What Are Federal Fair Housing Laws?]
Local laws may also dictate what you can discuss regarding your tenants. It may be helpful to research landlord-tenant laws in your city and have a lawyer review your landlord reference letter.
A landlord reference letter doesn’t have to be long, but it should include:
— The date.
— The current or former landlord’s name, address and contact details.
— The prospective landlord’s name and address.
— The address of the rented property.
— The date of the lease terms.
— Details on the tenants’ payment history, whether they kept the apartment in good condition, whether there were any issues or lease violations, how often they reached out to the landlord and their communication style and whether they were generally easy to deal with.
— A closing statement.
— The landlord’s signature.
Landlord Recommendation Letter Sample
For a better idea of what to include, here is a sample letter to use as a template:
[Date]
[Landlord’s name]
[Landlord’s phone number]
[Landlord’s address]
To whom it may concern,
I am writing this letter of recommendation on behalf of [tenant’s name], a former tenant of [property name]. My name is [landlord’s name] and [tenant’s name] was a tenant of mine from [date of the lease terms].
[Tenant’s name] resided at [apartment address] and paid a monthly rent of [monthly rent amount]. [Tenant’s name] was a responsible tenant and always paid rent on time. They complied with all rules and regulations stated in the lease and kept the property clean and in good condition upon move-out. [Tenant’s name] was also quick to respond to any questions or concerns and made no complaints or unwarranted demands.
I believe [tenant’s name] would make a good tenant and neighbor and I would happily rent to them again. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
[Landlord’s name]
[Landlord’s signature]
When Would a Landlord Refuse to Provide a Letter of Recommendation?
No landlord is required to provide a reference letter, especially if the tenant and landlord ended things on bad terms. “Even if a tenant technically paid rent on time, a landlord might not wish to write a reference letter because of a generally poor experience,” Gosine says.
For example, Gosine explains that the tenant might have been extremely difficult to deal with and frequently reached out after hours for special favors, requests or demands in an unfriendly manner. “Another example is that the tenant might never bother to respond to the landlord’s emails, and blatantly violated the lease such as subletting the property without permission or getting a pet when the lease said no pets,” Gosine adds.
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How to Ask for and Write a Landlord Reference Letter originally appeared on usnews.com
