What Can Landlords Ask When Calling Employers?

What Can Landlords Ask When Calling Employers?

Last Updated: March 23, 2023 by Cameron Smith

Any good landlord will call employers as part of their tenant screening process. There are some standard questions that most landlords will ask, but the best ones will ask a number of more thorough questions.

Why Do Landlords Call Employers?

First of all, landlords do usually call employers. If you’re worried about this, it’s best just to assume that it’s going to happen and move forward.

The three main reasons landlords will call employers are:

  1. Verify job history
  2. Verify income
  3. Learn more about the applicant’s character

You’ll likely fill out your job history and income on the application itself, but most landlords won’t trust this information. They know that some applicants are incentivized to lie. For example, if you really need a place to stay, but your income isn’t likely to net you the lease, you could fudge the numbers a bit. Landlords know this, so they’ll check.

Landlords also want to know what type of person you are, and how you handle your job tells a lot. If you’re responsible, on time, and trustworthy, hopefully a landlord can discern that from your employer.

tip

Rather than lying about income (which rarely works) or not turning in an application, take a moment to explain to a landlord why you should get the lease. Perhaps you have another source of income coming, or you’re starting a new job in a few weeks. If the rest of your application is stellar, you might still get to rent the unit.

Do Employers Have to Give Out Information?

Employers do not have to give out information about their employees. However, most will give out the basics because that’s usually in your favor.

For example, if a landlord or a mortgage company calls and your employer refuses to help, you will likely get your application denied.

However, the amount of information given can vary. This especially depends on if the landlord has your consent. If you haven’t authorized it, your employer shouldn’t give out any information other than confirm that you work there.

If you have given authorization, your employer will likely give out this information, at minimum:

  • Your pay
  • How long you’ve worked there
  • Your title
  • Whether you work full-time or part-time

Then, the landlord may decide to ask more in-depth questions, but the company can decide whether to give it. In many cases an HR rep will decline to give out much more information because they’re more worried about employee rights and privacy. However, a direct supervisor may be willing to speak more, given that they know the employee and will likely want to help.

10 Questions a Landlord Can Ask your Employer

Here are the questions a landlord will most likely ask your employer:

  1. What is [Applicant’s] Annual/Hourly Salary?
  2. Is [Applicant] a Full-Time or Part-Time Employee?
  3. How Long Has [Applicant] Worked There?
  4. What is [Applicant’s] Title?
  5. Does [Applicant] Have a History of Missed Work?
  6. Does [Applicant] Have a History of Being Late to Work?
  7. Would You Recommend [Applicant] to a Landlord?
  8. Does [Applicant] Have a History of Write-ups or Disciplinary Issues?
  9. Why Did [Applicant] Leave? (Previous Employer)
  10. Do You Like Working With [Applicant]?

Landlord call employers   on iPropertyManagement.com

1. What is [Applicant’s] Annual/Hourly Salary?

Common Question

First, your landlord wants to know if you’ll be able to make the rental payments. If you can’t, it doesn’t matter if you have the most pristine application in history.

Also, some companies have complicated compensation plans because of commissions, bonuses, and stipends. Your HR rep may have a different number listed on file than what you actually make.

If you suspect this is the case, you can make a note on the application about this. Tell the landlord that you’ll be willing to show as many pay stubs as necessary to prove that you make more than what HR claims.

Furthermore, many people have multiple sources of income. If you have a freelance gig on the side, be sure to note that. Otherwise the landlord will assume your income number doesn’t match what your employer said and you’ll be passed over.

2. Is [Applicant] a Full-Time or Part-Time Employee?

Common Question

Full-time jobs are often a bit safer than part-time ones. This could give you the edge over an equally qualified candidate who has part-time job.

3. How Long Has [Applicant] Worked There?

Common Question

Your job history can say a lot about your future earning potential. A thorough landlord will look for:

  • Steady job – Hopping between jobs can be a sign that you can’t hold onto one.
  • No gaps – A landlord could infer that you couldn’t find a new job, which bodes poorly on your career prospects.
  • Increasing responsibility – If you can show that you switched jobs (in the same career) because you got a promotion, that looks good for you.
  • Length of current employment – Someone who just started in the past two months is more likely to quit or be let go than someone who’s been at a job for five years.
tip

If you have a legitimate reason for a gap in employment or switching careers, note that to the employer. If you took time off to take care of your sick mother, that reflects differently than if you were fired for cause.

4. What is [Applicant’s] Title?

Common Question

Your landlord wants to verify that you weren’t making yourself out to be more important than you are. A good title can also reflect well on you. A manager of a department has better earning potential (now and in the future) than someone who hasn’t been given that level of responsibility.

Landlord call employers   on iPropertyManagement.com

5. Does [Applicant] Have a History of Missed Work?

We’re now getting into the questions where your employer might not want to answer. However, many will, so you should be prepared.

Obviously, your job is a massively important responsibility. If you can’t take the effort to always be at work, why would a landlord trust you with their property?

6. Does [Applicant] Have a History of Being Late to Work?

Frequently being late shows a lack of care and respect. A landlord may not trust you to handle utilities, maintenance, and paying rent on time if you can’t be to work on time regularly.

7. Would You Recommend [Applicant] to a Landlord?

Landlord’s won’t always get an answer to this question, but it’s such a good one that many will ask it. Take care in who you choose to be your employer reference (HR vs your supervisor) so they can answer this well.

8. Does [Applicant] Have a History of Write-ups or Disciplinary Issues?

Don’t give your employer any reason to speak poorly of you. This can affect future jobs, mortgages, and in this case, getting the rental lease.

9. Why Did [Applicant] Leave? (Previous Employer)

Some (very thorough) landlords will call all of the employers you’ve had over the past five years. If they do, one of the first questions they will ask is why you left. Hopefully you weren’t fired, or you can secure a reference that can explain some mitigating circumstances behind what happened to you there.

10. Do You Like Working With [Applicant]?

Landlords, like every businessperson, want to work with people they like. At the very least, they want people who will be respectful and timely in their communication, won’t be belligerent, and will do what’s asked without complaint.

What Can’t a Landlord Ask?

The biggest concerns for a landlord are the protected classes laid out in the Fair Housing Act. Landlords cannot deny housing (or raise rent or security deposit) for any of these reasons:

  • Race
  • Color
  • National Origin
  • Religion
  • Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation)
  • Familial Status
  • Disability

If you are denied the lease and you find out that your landlord discussed any of these with your employer, you could sue for discrimination.

However, you should be careful here. It’s possible that a landlord did nothing wrong, and the employer voluntarily brought up something about you. Then, your landlord decided to reject you based on your credit score or income. There’s nothing you can do about this, and bringing up a lawsuit would cost you time and money.