Sometimes it can be tough to rent a residential or commercial space; tenants suffer from a time-consuming search that does not yield success. If it is not the first time you are looking for a new place, we strongly recommend asking your previous landlord to write you a landlord recommendation letter.
This document outlines an honest opinion about the renter’s characteristics from an owner’s perspective. The owner describes the lease period, the renter’s reliability, and other information that may be useful for a new landlord. The free fillable letter of recommendation template also helps the tenant speed the process of renting new premises.
If you have ever heard about the “tenant recommendation letter,” “reference letter for a tenant,” or “reference letter for a housing,” they all mean the same thing. This article contains all the details you need to know about tenant recommendation letters regardless of whether you are a tenant desperately seeking a place to stay or a landlord.
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With a tenant recommendation letter, a person can prove that they are a reliable renter who will not turn the premises into a disaster and will pay on time as agreed.
Try putting yourself in a landlord’s shoes. No landlord on Earth would like to have a renter delaying payment every month and ruining the rented space. Every premises owner cares a lot about who will stay in the place, for how long, and what will happen in the rented space.
So, as a lessee, you have to make a considerable effort to show the best version of yourself when meeting a potential lessor for the first time. Still, this may not be enough because a landlord cannot check your background. They only can trust you in what you say. A landlord recommendation letter can be a valuable item that will help you successfully rent a place in the shortest term.
Do not forget that besides residential rent, there is a commercial lease. Let’s see why the letter is a valuable document in both cases:
The letter assures the lessor that the lessee pays on time, acts politely, and does not plan to ruin the place or bring unpleasant people there.
The letter also assures the owner that there will be nothing illegal on the premises because the renter has a lawful business and signs a contract.
In both cases, the letter should contain specific details that will enable the recipient to understand whom they are dealing with.
This letter is common, and it has mandatory details and sections—because many other people have written the same letters before, and the form has a specific structure. Authors should add the following:
On the left-hand side, the landlord writing the letter must add their details.
It is obligatory to date the form.
You cannot create a complete tenant reference letter without the tenant’s name.
You should indicate the lease term—when it started and ended.
It is important to state how many times your tenant was late in paying rent. You can write “0” if there were no such cases.
It may seem odd, but lessors should reveal how much their tenants used to pay for the rented space.
Describe the tenant’s traits.
When you finish describing your tenant, you have to either sign the form or enter your full name.
You should provide the potential landlord with several options to contact you and share their concerns (phone number, email address, social media profile, and so on).
Every owner who writes a reference letter should include these details in the form; each tenant, in turn, must check the letter received from their lessor to ensure that all the demanded items are in place. Below, we will review a couple of samples to help you understand how to create an excellent landlord reference letter.
We have outlined the information to add to any landlord reference letter. But still, some people may find it confusing without an accurate plan and step-by-step guidelines. Do not worry. We have developed them for you as well. Check out the order below.
1. Heading
Start your letter with a heading so the recipient quickly understands the document’s purpose. Write the words “Landlord Recommendation Letter” in bold. The font should be slightly bigger than the main text. It is possible to use other phrases, such as the word “reference” instead of “recommendation.”
2. The Author’s Name and Address
On the left, below the heading, write your name and address, so the recipient knows the letter author.
3. The Date
Below the address, write the current calendar date. This will prove that the letter is new.
4. Introduction (First Part)
This part usually starts with the phrase “To whom it may concern” because typically, you have no idea to whom this letter will go. In the next paragraph, introduce yourself and the tenant in question. Please note that it is better to write the name instead of the suggested phrase if you know the recipient’s name.
You have to write both parties’ names, mention if you recommend the tenant for a residential or commercial rent, and specify the amount the renter has been paying for rent. Also, state the lease period and answer any cases when the payment did not arrive on time.
5. The Tenant’s Description (Main Part)
This is where you briefly describe your tenant and their positive sides. Try to be as sincere as possible. You can note that the tenant has fantastic manners, is always polite, and responsible. Or that the tenant is a fan of cleanup and cares a lot about the rented space. Or that the tenant is reliable and always pays in time or even in advance.
The only requirement here is to provide truthful details. The recipient should get the correct information to avoid any surprises in the future.
6. Conclusion
Demonstrate your willingness to answer questions and communicate with the new landlord about the tenant. Before leaving your contact details, include the phrase, “I am ready to answer all your questions about the considered tenant” or a similar one. Please see the samples below.
7. Signature
A landlord should sign the reference letter or simply write their full name under the conclusion.
8. Contact Info
Below the signature, you should enter your contact information. It is good practice to leave several options for the recipient, such as your phone number, email address, or social network profile. Remember to check all calls and messages you get so the recipient can connect with you.
As you can see, the letter is not a huge or complicated document that will take a lot of your time. Highly likely, you will spend from 10 to 20 minutes creating one. It should be brief to save the recipient’s time. On average, you will use only one page or even a half-page.
When creating the form, do not forget to consult our list with the mandatory details to include in the letter. Also, keep reading to get a couple of handy samples you may use for your document.
We will get to the “reference letter for an apartment” samples soon. But before that, here are additional tips to use when making your letter:
What to Avoid:
What you are welcome to do:
We have promised you a couple of samples you can draw on when developing your reference letter for housing. We hope these samples will clarify all your doubts and concerns regarding the topic.
Landlord Recommendation Letter
From ________________
_____________________
_____________________
(Write your name and address here)
___________________, 20___
(Write the current date here)
To whom this may concern,
This is a tenant recommendation letter for ________________ (write the tenant’s name). My name is ________________ (write your name) and I used to be the landlord for the named tenant from ___________ (lease start) to _____________ (lease end). During this period, there were ___ cases when the payment was not delivered on time. The rent was ______ US dollars per month; it was a ________________ (commercial or residential) lease.
I enjoyed cooperating with _______________ (insert the tenant’s name) during the whole rental period. (He or she) was always polite to me and had great manners. The property was clean any time I accessed it, and when the lease terminated, I got the place back in perfect condition.
I will gladly answer all questions about _________________ (the tenant’s name here). Use my contact info below to reach out to me.
_______________ (your signature or full name)
E-mail: _______________
Phone number: _____________
Tenant Recommendation Letter
From ________________
_____________________
_____________________
(Insert your name and address)
___________________, 20___
(Write the date of signing here)
Dear ______________ (the recipient’s name here, if known)
I, _____________________ (insert your name), am writing to you with a purpose to recommend _______________ (enter the lessee’s name) as a tenant. (He or she) was renting my place for a ______________ (commercial or residential) purpose from _________ to __________. The price was ______ US dollars per month, and there were _____ months when the payment did not arrive on time.
I have known _____________ (the tenant’s name) for a long time, as you may notice from the lease term, and this tenant has never caused any issues or problems. (He or she) is a responsible lessee who pays rent in advance and keeps the premises in a great state. I would definitely sign a contract with (him or her) again.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call or text me. I leave my contacts below.
_______________ (your signature or full name here)
E-mail: _______________
Phone number: _____________
Social media or messenger account(s) ________________
In theory, it is easy to ask your ex-landlord for a recommendation. However, in real life, many people face unexpected problems when trying to get a letter. Here are some tips for you:
You have to make a list and choose those you have liked the most and those who have been good to you. A good relationship between you two is key to your success.
It is a more convenient way than calling because you will be able to describe what you need in a couple of phrases without disturbing a person much. Besides, many people nowadays prefer receiving text messages rather than answering calls. After sending the letter, please give them a couple of days (working days, not weekends) to reply. If nothing happens, you can call them.
You probably want to get your letter as soon as possible; however, you should be reasonable and always bear in mind that people have their daily tasks and preoccupations. So, tell them from the start that you need the letter on a specific day and give at least three days to create the form.
This is rather obvious: it is you who needs something from your landlord. Be careful and pleasant when talking to them; do not push them.
If you do not get any response for an extended period or the person refuses to help you, get back to your list of ex-lessors and contact someone else.