Reference for Tenant

Landlord Discussion
1

Hello Hivemind

My tenant has asked me to provide them with a reference. Not to a prospective new landlord or agency, but for him to hold on file.

He has asked twice before and I have provided one in the past. He has been our tenant for 5 years and has been mostly ideal.

However he has also be less than ideal in other ways, falling out with neighbours (he believes everyone to be beneath him intellectually, but on the other hand calls us out for issues he has caused, or are inaccurate) and sends rude messages if he believes something has not be dealt with as he wishes.

So i am not so keen just to provide him with a glowing reference for his records this time.

I’m interested how other have dealt with this?

I think there are some outstanding jobs around the house that he has take on himself… retiling the kitchen, replacing radiators etc as well …

Should i agree that i can provide a refence after a property inspection? Provide one to a named agent? Or just provide him with an honest, brief one that he can keep on file??

I don’t necessarily believe he is actually looking to move, and of course I don’t want to encourage him to go. But he does seem to go through this cycle whenever i have followed something up “officially” with a letter or email.

For example this time… he’s complained that new guttering installed (at the total cost of the neighbour without our knowledge) has the wrong fall and is leaking and causing damp in the house. On inspection (2 days after he contacted us), we agreed fall is fine but gutter is blocked and needs clearing (his responsibility under TA). We discussed with neighbour and offered to pay half guttering cost, he declined the offer so we agreed to pay for gutter cleaning and installing a gutter guard. This process has taken a week. Have emailed a letter to tenant today explaining… his reply is simply “Please supply me with a reference, thank you.”

Thoughts welcome

Many Thanks
Sara

2

My solicitor advised me never to give a reference to keep on file.
I always make the effort to call the numbers given and match up with contracts and land registry.
I am happy to be contacted.
The problem with references apart from documenting the dates you cannot write much else as it may have consequences on aside!
In this case it sounds like a passive aggressive move to intimidate you.
On an aside,
I was advised by a solicitor that no matter what your contract reads you cannot defer structural responsibility to the tenant. Clearing gutters always falls under the remit of the landlord.
With over 100,000 liters of rainwater drained from the roof into the ground every year you would not want to risk subsidence, damp etc with your costly investment

3

Thanks A_A

Would you simply say that you are happy to provide a reference to an agent or potential future landlord then?

Do you feel that I am trying to defer structural responsibility to the tenant? I have suggested, scheduled and am paying for gutter cleaning and maintenance to maintain our property and limit damp issues.

thanks again
Sara

4

Yes, to just letting him know you are happy to provide a reference.

I may have read it wrong, but I read that your contract reads that clearing the gutters is his responsibility.
Unlike drains ( which the tenant can block through negligence) one would be hard pressed to defend negligent blockage of a gutter from seasonal leaf fall etc

5

A reference he keeps on file would be useless to him since no landlord, agent or referencing company should accept anything that doesn’t come directly from the landlord in question.