Landlord reference
1 template
Free
Landlord reference form template
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Fillable PDF
Complete on screen or print and sign
About 5 minutes for the referee
Checked October 2026
Before you use it
Referees: we only ask you to confirm facts from your records. If you can’t provide an item, leave it blank or write “not provided”. Please don’t include anything about the tenant’s health, family, benefits or other personal circumstances: it isn’t needed and shouldn’t be used to decide an application.
For the referee
About 5 minutes
To complete, from tenancy records.
What we ask
Facts only
Rent, condition, notices and the deposit.
Consent
Signed
By the applicant before this is sent.
What the landlord reference form covers
1
Request: completed by the landlord or agent asking
2
Applicant’s consent: signed before this form is sent
3
The tenancy: as held in your records
4
Rent: payment history
5
The property: condition and conduct
6
End of the tenancy: complete if the tenancy has ended
7
Confirmation: signed by the referee
How to run a landlord reference check
Get the applicant’s signed consent on the form before you send it.
Check the referee really is the landlord or agent. Compare their name against HM Land Registry (England and Wales), Registers of Scotland or Land & Property Services (Northern Ireland), or the agency’s published details. Ownership records don’t always show who acts as landlord, but they will catch most fake references.
Send the form with a return date, and follow up by phone if it doesn’t come back.
Read the answers alongside the applicant’s other evidence, such as an employer reference and a credit check.
Our article on questions to ask former landlords covers what to ask if you speak to them directly, and our guide to tenant referencing explains the full process.
Facts, not opinions
The form leaves out questions like “would you rent to this tenant again?” because they invite opinion rather than evidence. It also asks referees not to mention the tenant’s health, family, benefits or other personal circumstances. In England, landlords must not refuse an applicant because they have children or receive benefits, so that information shouldn’t be collected at all.
An unticked box should never be read as a bad answer. That’s why every statement has a “not known” option, and missing information is never treated as evidence of a breach.
A reference is one piece of evidence
Some applicants can’t get a landlord reference for good reasons: they are renting for the first time, have lived with family, or their former landlord declines to give one. A current landlord’s reference also comes from someone with an interest in the outcome. Weigh it alongside the rest of the applicant’s rental history, or use a tenant referencing service for a full report.
Data protection
You are responsible for the personal data you collect. Explain how you’ll use it in your privacy notice, keep it secure and don’t hold it longer than you need, especially for applicants who don’t get the tenancy. Store completed references against the applicant in August rather than in email inboxes. If you hold tenant data, you may need to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Once your preferred applicant passes their checks, our holding deposit agreement reserves the property.
Frequently asked questions
Does a landlord have to give a reference?
No. Landlords aren’t generally obliged to provide one, and many limit what they say. If a former landlord won’t help, look for other evidence, such as bank statements showing rent payments.
What is the difference between a landlord reference form and a landlord reference letter?
A form asks the previous landlord set questions, so answers are consistent and comparable. A letter is a free-text reference the landlord writes; our guide to the landlord reference letter covers that format.
Can I ask for a reference from the current landlord?
Yes, with the applicant’s consent. Bear in mind a current landlord may have reasons to want the tenant to leave, so treat the reference with some caution.
How do I spot a fake landlord reference?
Check the referee against the property’s ownership records or the agency’s published contact details, and call them on a number you found independently rather than one the applicant gave you.
Templates checked against legislation in October 2026. They are provided for general information and are not legal advice.
