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.

Can a landlord reference be bad?

A poor reference becomes irrelevant if the landlord receives all the rental upfront. However, this may not always be possible. Then, after proving yourself for a few months, a landlord may be more likely to offer you a longer lease.

Can you fake a reference?

Fake references are illegal – if you’re caught. Directly lying is incredibly unethical, and if caught, you could be fired or face legal trouble. Companies rarely sue for lying, but the people you named on your reference list have every right to.

Can a landlord give a reference to a tenant?

One of the more challenging aspects of being a landlord is getting asked to provide a reference. In our litigious society, you are probably concerned that you’ll handle it wrongly one way or another, and that one of the parties will seek legal remedies against you.

What are the rights of a tenant under the Fair Housing Act?

They also provide tenants with legal recourse if the landlord lets the property to become uninhabitable. If you apply to rent a unit, you can’t be rejected based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, family status, or mental or physical disability under the federal Fair Housing Act.

What do you need to know about renters rights?

Renters’ Rights are a series of federal, state and local laws that are designed to prevent housing discrimination and rent gouging while ensuring that tenants have a safe, clean place to live. They also provide tenants with legal recourse if the landlord lets the property to become uninhabitable. Your Fair Housing Rights

What can I do to protect my rights as a tenant?

Talk to a Landlord Tenant Lawyer Sometimes you need professional help. Find a local landlord tenant lawyer. Tenants have powerful rights to fit housing, privacy, and to be free of illegal discrimination in many states and cities. But you can’t assert your rights unless you know them.

Do you have to say something to a former tenant?

This is regardless of whether your recommendation would be negative or positive. That is the safest legal approach. If you feel you must say something, make sure your former tenant has given permission for you to talk about his tenancy and only give facts (e.g., dates of residency, whether the tenant paid the rent, etc.).

What do you need to know about your rights as a tenant?

Nolo has books and online forms for tenants looking for a new place to live or to fix problems in a current living situation. Sometimes you need professional help. Find a local landlord tenant lawyer. Tenants have powerful rights to fit housing, privacy, and to be free of illegal discrimination in many states and cities.

Where does the false information on a tenant reference form come from?

NOTE: the false information does not need to come directly from the tenant, but can be from a third party in which the tenant has influenced, for example a false employment reference. Did the tenant deliberately provide misleading, false or withhold information on their tenant application or tenant reference forms?