Would you use this as a landlord reference?

the_matrix

Good ref. Honest, concise and most importantly in your favour (considering you didn't end on good terms he's done you proud).

the_matrix

I never leave my tenants a bad ref even if they are bad. I prefer to leave the past in the past and hope they learn from their mistakes.

beeg0d

AdrianC wrote: »

A big gap that you can't satisfactorily explain? That would raise my eyebrows.

Its not a job history, gaps can easilly bee explained with a simple lie (if your that way inclined). "I was living in my boy/girlfirends house for 3 years, it didnt end well when s/he cheated on me" (neatly explains 3 years lack of references).

As for the actual question i would say its actually a very good reference because of the honesty in it. Whereas a reference like "Model tennant, paied rent on time every month didnt cause any damage etc etc" could sound like a LL desperate to get rid of a tennant that would only leave if given a good reference (or via expensive court action).

sniggings

beeg0d wrote: »

Its not a job history, gaps can easilly bee explained with a simple lie (if your that way inclined). "I was living in my boy/girlfirends house for 3 years, it didnt end well when s/he cheated on me" (neatly explains 3 years lack of references).

As for the actual question i would say its actually a very good reference because of the honesty in it. Whereas a reference like "Model tennant, paied rent on time every month didnt cause any damage etc etc" could sound like a LL desperate to get rid of a tennant that would only leave if given a good reference (or via expensive court action).

bad experience?

there isn't just bad tenants you know! ones that either refuse to leave or late with rent etc

OP why can't you just say you were at your mums for a while.

To be honest, that ref is not the best, if you do hand it in, you want to hope the short list consists of just your name, as you are unlikely to go up against competition for a rental with someone with a worse reference than that.

G_M

Perfectly good reference.

Rent paid for 3 years and damage to property as expected after 3 years.

A 'glowing' reference rings alarm bells (landlord hates the tenant and wants them gone asap!)

I would always want to be able to get the reference direct from the landlord, and also want to be able to verify it IS the landlord (not the tenants best friend, brother etc).

Lily-Rose_3

G_M wrote: »

Perfectly good reference.

Rent paid for 3 years and damage to property as expected after 3 years.

A 'glowing' reference rings alarm bells (landlord hates the tenant and wants them gone asap!)

I would always want to be able to get the reference direct from the landlord, and also want to be able to verify it IS the landlord (not the tenants best friend, brother etc).

I disagree with this. (and Beeg0d's post.)

"Model tennant, paided rent on time every month didnt cause any damage etc etc" could sound like a LL desperate to get rid of a tennant that would only leave if given a good reference

I have never known a landlord give a brilliant reference to ex tenants of his that were dreadful, left the place a tip, rarely paid rent on time, and left without notice etc etc. Why would a landlord do this? It simply doesn't make sense. Especially as people who ask their landlord for a reference want it because they are leaving, or they have left, so the landlord would hardly be giving a glowing reference to get rid of them, because they're already gone/going!

So again; makes no sense. :huh:

The OP's reference is not amazing. If I was a prospective landlord, I would ask the old landlord what he meant by 'the house was in a condition that you would expect from a family being there 3 years,' this would ring alarm bells for me. And if I did get someone with a very good reference: I would be more likely to choose them.

Maybe it would be a better idea for the OP to say she has lived with mum for 3 years.

tom9980

As a landlord that reference is perfectly acceptable to me assuming I heard it directly from ex landlord, including past landlords on top of that reference would help me see you in a positive light.

The housing benefit would be a stumbling block due to my insurance not permitting it however.

Jessticulate

Seems to be lots of differing views on this, I'm not the most comfortable lying though, and depending on the letting agent I might not have that opportunity, if they where the letting agent I used last time. To be honest, I wonder if it would look worse to claim I was at my mums for three years, then I moved out for 2 weeks, then I came back to my mums for 6 months? Kind of think it makes me look fairly incompetent!