Referral letters and references for a rental

Find out how referral letters, recommendations, and credit checks work for renting.

What you will find out:

What is a letter about a rental?
What else could a letter recommending a rental place say?
Do you need more than one letter?
What are references for a rental?
Why do we need different references?
Who gives the best names for renting?
Why owners check tenants’ credit and background

Referral papers and recommendations are good for both the owner and the possible renter. If you are a landlord, a recommendation letter from another property owner can help you find a good roommate who will take care of your property. If there are a lot of people looking for a rental, recommendations may help you get the one you want.

Here are some of the most popular questions about rental recommendations and letters of recommendation.

What is a letter about a rental?

A rental recommendation letter is a letter made by a current or former employer about a current or former renter. It includes whether or not the possible tenant paid on time, took care of the property, did not bother other renters, and gave the required notice when moving out. Just as a current or former boss can attest to an employee’s work attitude and success, so can a current or former owner.

What else could a letter recommending a rental place say?

If there was a problem at a previous rental property, but the current or former owner still wants to recommend the possible renter, the letter can explain the whole situation. For instance, if the possible tenant had a noisy dog that bothered other renters, but the tenant took the dog to training to fix the problem, that information can be included in the letter.

Do you need more than one letter?

Yes. A owner might want more than one letter of recommendation if:

The possible renter only spent a short time at the last place he or she rented.
During the time that the possible renter lived there, the rental property changed hands.

What are references for a rental?

In addition to letters of recommendation, many landlords want to know how to get in touch with at least three people who can talk about how reliable and polite the possible renter is. During the rental process, the owner may be able to choose between applicants who are just as qualified if they talk to renting references.

Why do we need different references?

If you are an owner, you know that a possible renter will only give you the names and numbers of people who will say good things about the place. Talking to more than one person might give you a more full picture. Also, different examples can talk about different things. A former neighbor can confirm that a possible tenant’s dog stopped barking after being trained, and a current boss can talk to a tenant’s workplace about the tenant’s bright future.

Who gives the best names for renting?

Former neighbors, current bosses, and even college teachers are all good references because they can talk about how reliable and friendly a possible roommate is. If you want to rent a place, you should have a list of references ready so that the application process goes quickly.

Why owners check tenants’ credit and background

A owner may also check a possible tenant’s finances and past to see if they are a good fit. A credit check shows how much debt the individual has, how much credit he or she has available, and if there have been any late payments. This can show whether or not the person can pay their rent on time and in full every month. A background check shows if there have been any court cases that could be important to the application. For example, if a possible renter was kicked out of a rental property, an owner will want to know that so they do not have to deal with the same problem again.

Requiring rental request letters and references can help match renters and rental properties better, leading to long-term leases with no major problems.