Sooner or later a departing tenant, or their next landlord or agent — will ask you for a reference. And when you are the one taking on a tenant, a previous-landlord reference is one of your most useful checks, precisely because it comes from someone who has already lived with the answer.
This guide covers both sides: a free template for writing one, what you can lawfully say (and what is risky), and how to request one from a previous landlord — including how to spot the fake reference where the "landlord" is really the applicant's friend.
This is guidance, not legal advice.
What you can lawfully say
A landlord reference is not a character testimonial — it is a factual record, and keeping it factual is what protects you. The safe rule: say only what you can evidence from your own records, and be honest.
Honesty matters in both directions:
Stick to facts you hold: the tenancy dates, the rent, whether it was paid on time, whether the property was looked after, whether there were breaches. If you would not want to defend a statement with your rent ledger and inspection notes in front of you, do not write it. Remember too that the tenant can ask what personal data you hold about them, so assume they may see it.
Free landlord reference letter template
Keep it short, dated and factual. Something like:
> To whom it may concern
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> Re: [Tenant name], [property address]
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> I confirm that [Tenant name] rented the above property from me from [start date] to [end date] under an assured tenancy.
>
> The monthly rent was [£amount], paid [monthly/other]. During the tenancy the rent was [paid in full and on time / the following arrears arose: …].
>
> The property was [returned in good condition, fair wear and tear excepted / the following issues arose: …].
>
> [I would / I would not] be willing to let to this tenant again.
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> This reference is given in good faith and is based on my own records.
>
> [Name, signature, date, contact details]
Fill only what your records support. If you cannot confirm something, leave it out rather than guessing.
How to request one, and spot a fake
When you are the incoming landlord, a previous-landlord reference is valuable, but it is also the easiest check to fake — the "previous landlord" is sometimes the applicant's friend or relative reading from a script. Protect yourself:
A previous-landlord reference is a complement to referencing, not a replacement: it tells you how someone actually behaved as a tenant, which a credit score cannot.
How LetCompliance helps: the rent ledger, tenancy dates and inspection records a truthful reference is built from all sit in one place, so writing an honest reference for a departing tenant takes minutes, and when you are taking a tenant on, referencing through a regulated UK credit reference agency verifies the parts a letter cannot.
Sources
Do I have to give a tenant a reference?
No. There is no legal duty on a landlord to provide a reference for a departing tenant, and you can decline without giving a reason.
Most landlords give one anyway, and there are two good reasons to. A tenant who cannot get a reference from you may struggle to move on, which is not in your interest if you want the property back. And the system only works because landlords answer each other's requests — the reference you refuse today is the one you cannot obtain next year.
What you should not do is give a reference you have not checked. Answer from your own records — the rent ledger, the inspection reports, the repair correspondence — rather than from impression. A landlord who writes "always paid on time" for a tenant who was regularly three weeks late has created a document that will be produced against them if it ever matters.
If you would rather not comment, the honest middle path is a factual confirmation: the tenancy dates, the property, the rent, and that the tenancy is ending. No opinion, nothing you cannot evidence. It is far more useful to the next landlord than silence, and it carries almost no risk.
Can I get in trouble for a bad reference?
This is the question that makes landlords nervous, and the risk is real in both directions, which is precisely why sticking to fact is the safe route.
Giving a falsely good reference to get rid of a problem tenant. This is the more common temptation and the more dangerous one. If the next landlord takes the tenant on the strength of your reference and suffers loss, a knowingly false or recklessly inaccurate statement can found a claim in negligent misstatement. Writing a glowing reference for a tenant you are trying to move on is not a harmless kindness.
Giving an untrue damaging reference. A statement that is untrue and harms the tenant's reputation can be defamatory. Note the qualifier: untrue. Saying a tenant fell four months into arrears, when they did, is not defamation however much it costs them. Saying they damaged the property when you have no evidence for it is a different matter.
The rule that resolves both is the same one: say only what your records show, and say it neutrally. "Rent was due on the 1st; payment was received late on nine occasions, on average by eleven days" is a fact you can prove and an answer the next landlord can use. "Nightmare tenant" is an opinion that helps nobody and exposes you.
If you are asked something you genuinely do not know — whether they smoked, whether they had a pet you never saw — say you do not know.
Does GDPR apply to a landlord reference?
Yes, and it changes how you should write one more than most landlords expect.
A reference is personal data about the tenant, and you are disclosing it to a third party. In practice that means three things.
Have a basis for sharing it. The cleanest is the tenant's own request or consent, which you almost always have, because the tenant gave your details as a referee. Note it, so you can show why you disclosed.
Share only what is relevant. A reference request asks about the tenancy. It is not an invitation to pass on the tenant's new employer, their relationship breakdown, their immigration documents or their health. Answer the questions asked.
Assume the tenant will read it. They can make a subject access request, and you must normally respond within one month, free of charge. Anything you write may be read by the person you wrote it about, which is a useful discipline: if you would not be comfortable showing the tenant the sentence, rewrite it as a fact or leave it out.
One related point on the other side of the transaction. When you receive a reference and it forms part of your decision, keep it with the tenancy file, retain it only as long as you need it, and do not forward it on to anyone else. It is the previous landlord's disclosure about their tenant, not a document you own.
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Frequently asked questions
What can a landlord say in a tenant reference?
Only what you can evidence from your own records, and it must be honest. Stick to facts: the tenancy dates, the rent, whether it was paid on time, whether the property was looked after, and whether you would let to them again. A falsely glowing reference can expose you if the next landlord relies on it; a falsely negative one risks a defamation or damages complaint. If you could not defend a statement with your rent ledger in front of you, leave it out.
Do I have to give a departing tenant a reference?
There is no legal obligation to provide one, but a factual reference is usually reasonable and helps a good tenant move on. If you do give one, keep it honest and based on records. Remember the tenant can ask what personal data you hold about them, so assume they may see what you write.
How do I spot a fake landlord reference?
The classic fake is a "previous landlord" who is really the applicant’s friend reading from a script. Contact the landlord using details you find independently (a Land Registry title, a letting-agent record), not only the number the applicant gives you; ask specific factual questions — exact dates, the rent figure, whether there were arrears; and check they can describe the property. A reference run through a regulated referencing provider verifies the previous landlord as part of the process, which is harder to fake.