Rental Reference Letter

A Rental Reference Letter is a document sent to a landlord to provide information about a prospective tenant, including their employment status, background, and ability to pay their rent. For this document, the applicant here is the person that is interested in renting the property underlying this letter. Some landlords require reference letter from a prospective tenant to ascertain if the tenant is a good fit for the landlord's property. In other words, the letter sets apart a prospective tenant from another by providing a detailed description that shows why a landlord should rent their property to a specific applicant.

The reference letter is written by someone who can write about the applicant's character, financial stability, and ability to fulfill their rental obligations. This person can be a former landlord who has previously rented to the applicant, an employer who can attest to their employment status and income, or the colleague of the prospective tenant who can verify their reliability and professionalism, or a friend who can speak to their personal qualities.

A good reference letter should be brief and honest. It should highlight the applicant's strong qualities and emphasize why they would be an excellent tenant, including specific examples illustrating the applicant's responsible behaviour, on-time rental payments, cleanliness, and cordial relationships with neighbours and property.

The content of the reference letter may vary depending on the specific requirements of the landlord or property management company. However, it generally includes details about the applicant's rental history, such as their previous addresses, lease term, and any relevant rental payment records. The letter may also highlight the applicant's employment status, income level, and stability in terms of job tenure. Other relevant information, such as the applicant's cleanliness, responsibility, and respectful behaviour as a tenant, may be included to provide a well-rounded picture of their suitability.

How to use this document

This document should be used by someone who wants to send a reference letter on behalf of someone applying to rent a property. It is a simple document that requires basic information about the applicant, and the qualities that make the renter suitable for the rental property. This document will require details about the applicant, including the applicant's former rental property, the duration of the former lease, and the qualities of the applicant that make him a suitable tenant.

After completing this document, it should be signed and sent to the landlord of the rental property the applicant wants to occupy. Alternatively, this document can be sent via email. The applicant should keep one copy of this document for their record.

Applicable law

Rental references are not subject to any specific law in Nigeria. However, leases and tenancies are subject to the laws of the different states in Nigeria. For Lagos state, the Tenancy Law, 2011 and the Land Use Charge Law apply.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.