Rental Verification Form

Landlords may use a Rental Verification Form (sometimes called a rental verification letter, in the alternative) to check information provided by rental applicants regarding their rental history. Rental verification may sometimes confirm only basic rental history like timely rental payments, but it can also ask more detailed questions about the applicant’s tenancy.

Uses of a Rental Verification Form

A successful rental experience requires careful tenant selection. A rental verification form provides important details about an applicant’s rental history, beyond what a landlord reference letter may detail. A rental application form may inform a landlord about the following topics:

• Accuracy of Rental Application – A rental verification form to a past landlord can help check the accuracy of a tenant’s rental application.
• Financial Resources – Landlords have an interest in verifying the financial reliability of rental applicants. Confirming the tenant’s past rental situation often provides an accurate picture in this regard, both in amount and consistency of payments.
• Tenant Behavior – Timely payment is only one aspect of a successful tenancy. Landlords also have an interest in quiet, well-behaved tenants, and checking for personality-based red flags. A rental verification form can request information on past applicant interactions with neighbors and former landlords, and treatment of rental property in general.

Considerations for a Rental Verification Form

1. Written or Oral Verification – Most applicant verification can, in principle, occur over the phone. In practice, for accuracy and recordkeeping purposes, most landlords prefer to keep verification in writing. This can be particularly important if a rejected applicant claims landlord discrimination.
2. Consent – While in many cases legally not necessary, most rental verifications request the applicant’s consent before contacting a past landlord. This consent request often appears as part of the rental application. Applicants may be reluctant to consent; landlords often must explain the reasons why verification is the standard practice for the property.
3. Convenience – Needless details or formats reduce response rates. Past landlords are more willing to assist with rental verification when it is easy to do so. For this reason, rental verification often occurs via email. When done via regular mail, it’s customary to include a completed return envelope with paid postage.
4. Private Information – Rental verification risks violation of applicant privacy. It can cause legal problems if a former landlord provides information beyond what the application gave consent to obtain. It’s risky in particular to get information about things like credit score or medical condition without full, informed consent from the applicant.

Standard Inclusions in a Rent Verification Form

Most rental verification forms begin with a short letter to the former landlord, including the following:

1. Date.
2. Former landlord’s name and address.
3. Professional greeting.
4. Introduction and statement of purpose.
5. Reference to the specific property that is the subject of the rental application.
6. The applicant’s name (for the landlord receiving the form, this would be their tenant or former tenant).
7. Description of the property rental to be verified.
8. Request to complete the rental verification form.
9. Contact information for sending the completed form (e.g., email).
10. Contact information for direct communication.
11. Name and signature.

Following the brief informational letter come the questions for verification. There is no standard list of things to ask a past landlord, but these are some common questions included in a rental verification form:

1. Has the named tenant rented from you?
2. What was the tenant’s monthly rent amount?
3. Has the tenant ever been late in paying their rent or defaulted on rent?
4. Has the tenant ever been more than 30 days late in paying their rent?
5. If still a tenant, are they current on their rent?
6. Has the tenant ever been put on notice for violation of their lease agreement?
7. Has the tenant ever caused any damage, in excess of normal wear and tear, to their rental property?
8. Has the tenant ever been the subject of complaints from other tenants or neighbors?
9. If the tenant’s lease has ended, what was the basis for their lease ending?
10. If the tenant’s lease has ended, what was the rental property’s state of repair and cleanliness after they left?
11. If the tenant’s lease has ended, did they provide proper notice of non-renewal?
12. Does the tenant owe you any money for any reason?
13. Did/does the tenant have any pets at the rental property?
14. Did/does the tenant have any people that live with them at this rental property?
15. Would you rent to this tenant again? If not, why not?

The answers given by the past landlord provide a basis for further conversation with the tenant applicant. Note that both the applicant and the past landlord may have motive to provide inaccurate information. It’s unusual for a landlord to make a final decision about an application based only on rental verification, without discussing verification with the applicant.

Considerations After Rental Verification

Sending a rental verification form is often an early if critical part of screening the tenant.

If a landlord finds an applicant suitable after finishing the rental verification process, the next step is often preparing and signing the lease agreement. In many cases, this may include sending a tenant welcome letter.