Landlords want good tenants who will pay their rent on time
and obey tenancy rules. Strong references can help you prove that you are a
good tenant. The strength of your references could land you an apartment, even
if you have competitors. The following are tips to help you get and use such
references.
Include a Letter and Contact Information
A good reference document should include a letter and
contact information. The letter should be brief and mention your abilities,
character, and personality. The contact information is necessary to enable your
prospective landlord to contact your reference for confirmation.
You should only use contact information alone if your
reference person is pressed for time. You can even use custom reference forms
(you can get free samples online) that the reference just signs. Make the work
as easy as possible for your reference.
Use Multiple References
Some landlords will ask you for a specific number of
references. However, you should get multiple references (at least two), even if
your tenant application form doesn't specify the number. Using multiple
references is especially necessary if you have poor credit and wish to
strengthen your application. In such a case, the more people who can vouch for
you, the better.
Choose the Right People
Anyone can act as your reference, but they won't all give
your rental application the same weight. Pick your reference carefully for
maximum impact. Below are some tips for picking references.
Use Your Rental History
Unless you are a first-time renter, your rental history will
provide you with the best reference. For example, you can use your landlord or
property manager. These people know whether you pay your rent on time, how you
relate with other tenants, and whether you obey apartment rules.
Use Your Professional Network
Don't despair if you don't have a rental history. Your
professional network can also act as your references. Your professional
acquaintances can vouch for your character, job, and personality. Examples of
people in your professional network you can use include employers, supervisors,
colleagues, and mentors.
Avoid Your Personal Circle
Do your best to avoid your friends or relatives. Even though
these people know you best, they might not be objective about you. Your
prospective landlord needs references from people who can give independent
witness about you.
Get Permission
Don't use contacts of people you know as references without
their permission. Even if you have the best relationship with a person, inform
them of your plans, and get their permission first. Otherwise, you might list a
reference who:
- Plans
to be out of the country soon and might be unreachable
- Has a
personal or family emergency and cannot help you
- Has
changed their contact information
Note that some people also don't want to be references. Such
individuals don't have to explain why they don't want to be your reference.
Just move on to another person.
Contact References in Advance
Don't wait until the last minute to get references. Start
looking for references before you start apartment hunting. That way, you will
be in a position to hand over your references whenever you get a suitable
apartment. Last-minute efforts can fail you. For example, your best references
might be unavailable at short notice.
Have Backup References
Lastly, you should have some backup references in addition
to your main references. For example, if a first choice reference is
unreachable, you can easily replace them with a backup. You don't have to tell
your backups that they are not your first choice.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you land a
desirable apartment. Don't forget to involve experienced realtors in your
apartment search. Montgomery Realtors has been in the real estate industry for
over sixty years.
Contact
us
for available apartments throughout the city of Louisville.
