Can my landlord charge me for a reference?

4. They won’t be able to charge you for a reference. Letting agents will no longer be able to charge tenants for fees sourced by third parties, such as for reference checks, credit checks, insurance policies, gardening services or guarantor requests. Any costs associated with these will have to be paid by the landlord.

What can a landlord say in a reference?

Rest assured there are no privacy laws limiting what a landlord can or can’t disclose about a previous tenant. You can say anything you wish. However, our advice is to stick to the facts and only give information that you can support with written proof so that your former tenants won’t accuse you of slander.

What would make you fail a reference check?

This includes:

• Banking – Negative feedback usually means someone has been moving bank accounts too often which can be a sign of poor money management or credit problems.
• Affordability – If the tenant’s income is less than two and half times the rental amount they will usually fail referencing.

What happens if you say something bad about a former tenant?

If you say something bad about a former tenant when a landlord calls for a recommendation . . . watch out! If word of your negative comments get back to your old tenant, he could sue you claiming you “inaccurately” disclosed negative information.

Can a landlord use the Randi W case?

Through extension, the Randi W. case may potentially be used by other landlords and disgruntled tenants to make your life miserable. Here’s how: If a park or apartment house owner calls you and asks about a former tenant of yours . . . watch out!

Who is the landlord of a former tenant?

On the line is the landlord or manager of a community which a former tenant of yours has applied to reside in. He wants to know if this applicant was a good tenant, did he pay his rent on time, did he cause any problems, would you recommend him?

Can a landlord sue if you say something good about a tenant?

If you say something nice about the tenant, you can get sued later for not telling that potential landlord the bad things about the tenant. Say for example, the tenant got into fights when he lived in your park, but you simply tell an inquiring apartment house landlord “he always paid his rent on time.”

Can a landlord give a bad reference to a tenant?

Many landlords have heard rumors that they can’t give tenants a bad reference. This is not true, and if there are definite, verifiable facts that pertain to a particular tenant, you have a responsibility to let other prospective landlords know.

Can a lousy landlord give you a glowing reference?

A lousy tenant can disguise themselves in person and over the phone, but they can’t hide from their past actions. Contacting past landlords is an art in itself. Current landlords of bad tenants might give a glowing reference to their tenants so that the tenants can get accepted at a new place.

What to look for in a landlord reference?

Check the months you have deposited rent into your account. Note if the tenant paid their rent on time. A future landlord also wants to know how stable the tenant is. Accordingly, check your records to see that they paid the rent on time and in full.

Who are good landlords and bad landlords in real estate?

Erin Eberlin wrote for The Balance Small Business, covering rental management, tenant acquisition, and property investment. She has more than 16 years of experience in real estate. There are good landlords, there are bad landlords, and there are inexperienced landlords.