year out of date references for a tenant

fishpond

Why would a current tenant, but not for much longer.
Ask a tenant referencing agency to retrieve a 12 month old set of references from a letting agent who was instructed to find/reference a tenant(this tenant) (nothing else)?
I wouldn't have thought a 12 month gap in references would not be worth the paper they were printed on.
Any thoughts?

lighting_up_the_chalice

Perhaps they have had a falling out with their current, terrible landlord?

kinger101

All references are historic. One year old isn't that long ago.

I'm a bit confused by your poorly written question, but perhaps;

(a) for the last year, they've not been renting;
(b) they've fallen out with their current landlord;
(c) they've been asked to provided references over more than a twelve month period.

fishpond

Hopefully, this is clearer.
Any idea why a tenant would want to retrieve his reference checks from 12 months ago, when he is moving on to another property?

sandsni

Some LLs request references from LL(s) before the most recent one as they might be more honest. Current LL might give a decent reference just to offload a nightmare tenant ^^

fishpond

He sold his house and moved into my rental, I have given good ref's.
But,
" Some LLs request references from LL(s) before the most recent one as they might be more honest. "
There maybe something in the above, but as he has no previous LL?

lighting_up_the_chalice

In that case, perhaps he is compiling a file of references to present to any future, prospective LL. As a LL yourself, would you not be interested in such history? A bit like selling a car with a full service history rather than just a receipt for the last one.

kinger101

^^^
To be honest, it would make me suspicious. If someone presented me with a reference, I'd think they were trying to preempt my obtaining of one by contacting a previous landlord directly (or via a tenant checking service).

lighting_up_the_chalice

kinger101 wrote: »

^^^
To be honest, it would make me suspicious. If someone presented me with a reference, I'd think they were trying to preempt my obtaining of one by contacting a previous landlord directly (or via a tenant checking service).

What if they presented you with a good reference from every single landlord they had ever had, including their current LL. Would that not interest you enough to at least check them out? I don't see it as trying to block you from taking references if the tenant knows they will be good.

kinger101

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

What if they presented you with a good reference from every single landlord they had ever had, including their current LL. Would that not interest you enough to at least check them out? I don't see it as trying to block you from taking references if the tenant knows they will be good.

They might mean well, but it's not normal behaviour. A decent tenant would be confident they'd get a good reference though the normal channels. I wouldn't want to see a "portfolio", any more than I want to see a letter from their mother telling me they eat all their greens.

It would probably be a red flag for me.

Talc1234

Easy to fake a reference which in effect makes them worthless