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Tenant reference request letter · England

Tenant Reference Request Letter for England

Ask a previous landlord or employer for a reference about a rental applicant. The letter comes with a reply form of factual questions and a short UK GDPR privacy notice for the referee.

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  • Coming soon
  • England only
  • £7 incl. VAT

What this means

  • Only request a reference with the applicant’s consent.
  • Ask factual questions: tenancy dates, rent paid and the condition of the property.
  • Keep reference data only as long as you need it for your decision.
  • Right to rent checks are separate and must be done before the tenancy starts.

Coming soon: we’re updating this document to the latest gov.uk version.

You can read the guidance below. Buying is paused until the update is checked.

What the reference request contains

  • A covering letter to the referee, explaining that the applicant has applied to rent your property and has consented to you contacting them.
  • A reply form with factual questions. There is one version for a previous landlord or letting agent, and one for an employer.
  • A privacy notice explaining who you are, why you need the reference, the lawful basis (legitimate interests, UK GDPR article 6(1)(f)), how long you keep it, and the referee’s rights.
  • A reply-by date and the address or email to return it to.

Our tool will not create the letter unless you confirm the applicant has consented to you asking for the reference.

Handling references fairly under UK GDPR

  • Get the applicant’s consent before you contact a referee.
  • Ask factual questions, such as tenancy dates, rent paid and the condition of the property.
  • Use the reference only to decide whether to offer the tenancy.
  • Keep it only as long as you need it. If you leave the retention period blank, the letter says: up to six months after your decision, or with the tenancy records if a tenancy is granted.

How to fill in the request, step by step

  1. Choose whether you are asking a previous landlord or an employer.
  2. Enter the referee’s name, and optionally their organisation, address and email.
  3. Enter the applicant’s full name and, for a landlord reference, the address they rented.
  4. Confirm the applicant has consented.
  5. Enter your details, the property applied for, the date of the letter and a reply-by date. Allow at least a few working days.
  6. Optionally set how long you will keep the reference.

Since 1 May 2026 you cannot demand more than one month’s rent in advance. A strong reference does not change that.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the applicant’s consent?

Yes. References should only be requested with the applicant’s consent. Our tool asks you to confirm consent before it creates the letter.

What questions should I ask?

Factual ones, such as tenancy dates, rent paid and the condition of the property. The reply form asks the referee to leave blank anything they cannot answer accurately.

How long can I keep a reference?

Only as long as you need it for your decision. You can set your own period, or use our default: up to six months after your decision, or with the tenancy records if a tenancy is granted.

Does a reference replace a right to rent check?

No. Right to rent checks are separate and must be done before the tenancy starts.

Can I ask for more rent in advance if the reference is weak?

Since 1 May 2026 you cannot demand more than one month’s rent in advance.

Questions about this form?

We can explain how the form and the date checks work. We can’t give legal advice about your situation.

We can explain how the documents work. We can’t give legal advice.

Not legal advice. LandlordForms is a document service, not a law firm. For possession disputes, consider a solicitor or Shelter’s guidance.