3 steps to write a landlord reference letter.

As a landlord, there’s a good chance that a tenant will eventually ask you for a reference letter. Learn how to write a landlord reference letter and create a template with these easy steps.

Tenants find it easier to find a place to live if they have a positive reference letter from their previous landlord. That’s why it never hurts to have a landlord reference letter template handy so you can help your previous tenants find their next renting opportunity.

What is a landlord reference letter?

A landlord reference letter is a written document that one landlord writes to another. It outlines the experience of renting to a specific tenant, so the new landlord knows what to expect if they enter a lease agreement with the tenant. Your document should cover items like whether the tenant paid rent on time, followed the lease agreement, and kept the property in good condition.

In general, whether you’re writing one from scratch or using a premade reference letter template online, the goal is to create a positive landlord reference letter that can help renters qualify for a new lease and, possibly, receive even more favorable renting terms.

Steps to create a landlord reference letter.

If you’re a landlord, you never know when a former renter might reach out for a reference. That’s why it’s good to always have a landlord reference letter template on hand that you can complete quickly. Here are the steps to make one:

Step 1: Prepare your template.

A good landlord reference letter should have several pieces of information:

• Date
• Your name and contact information
• General greeting (“To whom it may concern” is okay if you don’t have a name)
• Address of the rental property
• Dates of the tenant’s lease
• Description of tenant’s payment history
• Any lease violations
• Notes about property maintenance
• Pet experiences, positive or negative (if applicable)
• Closing remarks about whether you’d rent to this tenant again
• Signature

It’s always best to keep your landlord reference letter short — ideally one page or less. The introduction and closing remarks should be only a sentence or two each, and the renter information details can be put into a bulleted list.

To create a landlord reference letter template, write a generic introduction and closing and leave blank spaces where you can fill in the details later. Then, just save it as a template file.

Step 2: Update the information.

When a tenant reaches out asking for a reference letter, open your template file and update the information. Fill out the greeting and renter detail spaces that you left blank.

Remember to save your new document as a new file. You don’t want to overwrite your template, so you can still use it in the future.

Step 3: Save as a PDF.

Before you send your landlord reference letter, make sure you save it as a PDF. You never know how another landlord will read your letter, and PDFs maintain their formatting on any device. It’s the best way to send any type of document.

You can easily save your letter directly as a PDF or convert Word to PDF online right from your web browser. If you need to make changes, you can always convert PDF to Word using the same method.

Don’t forget to add your signature to the PDF. That really makes your reference letter official. Then all that’s left to do is send your letter to the tenant or the other landlord.

Sample landlord reference letter.

Not sure where to start on your reference letter? It always helps to have an example to look at. Here’s a quick landlord reference letter sample, so you know what your letter should look like:

7/6/2024

Tenant name: John Smith

To whom it may concern,

John Smith was a tenant at my rental property located at 123 S. Main Street, Charlotte, NC from May 2nd, 2021 to June 23rd, 2024.

While living in my rental, they:

• Consistently paid rent in a timely manner
• Maintained the property well
• Promptly responded to communications
• Were polite and cordial.
• Had no issues with other tenants or neighbors.
• Cleaned up after their pet.

John was a respectful and clean tenant who took care of the rental property, and I would happily rent to them again. If you have any questions or would like more detailed information, please contact me via phone or email.

Sincerely,

Sarah Graystone

704-555-6132

sdouglass@email.com

Additional resources.

• If you’re a part-owner of a rental property, collaborate with your fellow landlords by sending a sharable link to your landlord reference letter PDF.
• Need to update the information in your PDF template? Quickly edit a PDF online to add comments, sticky notes, and more.

Content as a Service v2 - acrobat-hub - Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 10:18