Landlord Reference Letter Template
Enter the tenancy dates and choose what you can confirm about the tenant. Every statement starts as left out, and the letter only includes the ones you pick.
[Landlord name]
[Landlord mailing address]
[Date]
Landlord Reference for [Tenant name]
To whom it may concern,
I am writing to confirm that [Tenant name] has been my tenant at [Rental property address] since [Move-in date].
You are welcome to contact me to confirm this information.
Sincerely,
[Landlord name]
How to write a landlord reference letter
Stick to facts you can back up from your own records.
1. Confirm the tenancy
Enter the tenant's name, the rental address and the dates they lived there. Leave the move-out date empty for a current tenant.
2. Choose what you can vouch for
Payment history, the condition of the unit, following the lease. Every statement is left out until you choose it, so the letter only says what you decided to say.
3. Sign and send
Download the PDF or Word file, sign it, and give it to the tenant or send it to whoever asked. Include a phone number or email so they can verify it.
What a landlord reference letter should include
A new landlord reading the letter wants to know three things: did this person really rent from you, did they pay, and did they look after the place.
Your name and contact details
The reader may call to check the letter is real. A letter with no way to reach the writer carries little weight.
The address and the dates
Which unit the tenant rented and when they moved in and out. These are the facts most often verified.
Rent amount and payment history
What the rent was and whether it was paid on time. This is usually the part the new landlord cares about most.
How the unit was kept
A sentence on the condition of the property during and at the end of the tenancy.
Whether they followed the lease
Only say this if it is true for the whole tenancy. Leaving it out is better than overstating it.
Whether you would rent to them again
The clearest signal you can give. If the honest answer is no, leave the line out rather than write something negative.
Landlord reference letter questions
Short answers for landlords and tenants.
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Everything runs in your browser. No account, nothing uploaded.
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