What a Rental Reference Letter Should Say (and How to Get One Your Agent Can Check)

A good rental reference does one job. It tells a letting agent, in the words of someone who knows you, that you pay your rent and look after a home. In a market where ten or twenty people apply for the same flat, the application that already carries a clear, signed reference from a past landlord or a trusted referee is the one an agent can process without chasing anyone. If you need that reference written properly, Claim Done’s Rental Reference Letter puts the facts your referee knows into a clean letter for them to read and sign, for a flat $29. You can start it here.

The catch is simple. A reference only works if it is true, specific and checkable. “Lovely tenant, highly recommend” tells an agent nothing and cannot be confirmed by anyone. This guide covers what a reference should actually say, who should write it, and what an agent is allowed to ask for when you apply.

Who writes a rental reference, and in whose voice

The referee writes a rental reference, not the applicant, and it speaks in the referee’s voice. There are three kinds of referee worth having. A previous landlord or property manager is the strongest, because they can speak directly to how you rented. An employer can vouch for your reliability and that you have steady income. A personal referee, such as a colleague, a friend or someone from a club or community group, can speak to your character when you have no rental history yet.

The person applying for the place usually organises the reference and gathers the details. That is normal. What must not happen is the applicant writing praise about themselves and putting someone else’s name on it. The words have to be the referee’s, the referee has to read every line, and the referee has to agree with all of it before signing. A reference the referee has not seen is worthless the moment the agent rings to check it.

What a previous landlord’s reference should contain

The reference an agent trusts most comes from a landlord or property manager you rented from. A good one from a past landlord states, plainly:

• the address you rented;
• when the tenancy started and ended;
• the rent, and whether it was paid on time, with any exceptions stated honestly;
• the condition of the home at routine inspections and when you left;
• the referee’s name, their connection to the property, and a phone number or email so the new agent can confirm it.

That last line carries more weight than most people realise. Consumer Affairs Victoria, on its applying for a rental property guidance (last updated 8 April 2026), says a rental provider or their agent “may request the contact details of personal referees,” meaning a name, phone, email and the referee’s connection to you. So the agent is going to ask for a contact anyway and then do the ringing around. A reference that already has the referee’s number printed on it, with their sign-off, hands the agent the verification step done. On a busy day that is the difference between an application that gets actioned and one that sits in the pile.

References from an employer or a personal referee

Not everyone has a past landlord to call on. First-time renters, people coming out of a share house in someone else’s name, and anyone returning from overseas often do not. That is what employer and personal references are for.

An employer reference should give your role, how long you have worked there, and the plain facts that show reliability: that you turn up, that you are trusted with responsibility, that your income is steady. It does not need your salary unless you want to include it. A personal reference should say how the referee knows you and for how long, then give a specific example or two rather than a wall of adjectives. “Sam rented a room from me for two years and always paid on the day” lands. “Sam is a wonderful person” does not.

Whatever the kind of referee, the rule is the same. State only what the referee actually knows. Leave out anything they are not comfortable saying. Never add a quality, a date or a figure the referee cannot stand behind.

Keep it true and checkable

Agents check references. Many will ring the referee on the number given and ask a few direct questions: did this person rent from you, for how long, did they pay on time, would you rent to them again. A reference that claims more than the referee can repeat on the phone falls apart at that first call, and it takes the rest of the application down with it.

So keep the reference to facts the referee can confirm out loud. If the rent was late a couple of times, it is better to say “paid on time apart from two occasions early in the tenancy” than to claim a perfect record that the ledger does not show. Honesty that survives a phone call beats praise that does not. If there is something the referee would rather not get into, the fix is to leave it out, not to write around it with vague filler.

What an agent can and cannot ask for

What an agent may collect is not open-ended, and the rules have tightened. Consumer Affairs Victoria says a provider or agent “can only ask for the information set out in the prescribed rental application form.” You cannot be asked about past legal action or disputes with a rental provider, about your bond history, or for bank statements showing daily transactions, and no more than two income documents and two identity documents can be required. Victoria is also blunt on cost: “Rental providers, agents and other third parties (such as online rental platform providers) cannot charge you any fees for your rental application,” and that includes fees for background or other checks.

New South Wales moved the same way on fees. When the state announced the ban, Premier Chris Minns said owners would still be able to make sure “their prospective tenant hasn’t done the wrong thing at a previous rental,” but “you shouldn’t have to pay for your own background checks just to apply for a place.” Some application apps had been nudging renters to pay between $25 and $30 for checks on themselves. The point for you is that a reference is something you bring to the application yourself, not a paid product an agent runs on you. Rules differ by state, so it is worth checking your own state’s tenancy authority or our guide to tenant rights by state for the detail where you live.

Get the reference written and ready to sign

The writing is the part most referees quietly dread, which is why good references so often never arrive. A past landlord agrees to help, then the half-written email sits in drafts for a fortnight. Claim Done’s Rental Reference Letter removes that friction for a flat $29. You answer a short set of questions about what the referee knows, such as the address, the dates, the rent and how the place was kept, and the letter comes back written in the referee’s voice, using only the facts you gave, with no invented praise. It includes the referee’s contact details so the agent can check it.

You read the draft first, then download it for your referee to read, agree with and sign and date. Nothing is sent to anyone else on your behalf. If your referee has not actually agreed to give a reference yet, ask them first, because the letter has to come from them and say only what they are willing to confirm. Claim Done is not a law firm; it turns the facts your referee knows into a clear, signed letter. If an old tenancy ended on bad terms and a bond or dispute is still hanging over you, it can be worth sorting that with an end-of-lease bond dispute letter before you go looking for a reference from that landlord.

To get a rental reference your agent can actually verify, start your Rental Reference Letter now. Answer the questions, review the draft, and download it for your referee to sign so your application is complete and ready to lodge.

Frequently asked questions

Who should write my rental reference?

Your referee writes it, in their own voice: a previous landlord or property manager, an employer, or a personal referee such as a colleague, friend or community member. You can gather the details and prepare the letter, but the referee has to read it, agree with every line, and sign it before it is used.

Can I write my own rental reference?

No. A reference has to come from someone else and say only what they know and can confirm. The one exception is where you are the referee giving a reference for another applicant. If you try to write praise about yourself in a referee's name, it unravels the moment the agent calls to check it.

What should a reference from a previous landlord include?

The address you rented, when the tenancy started and ended, the rent and whether it was paid on time, the condition of the home at inspections and when you left, and the referee's name and contact so the new agent can confirm it. State only what is true; note any exceptions honestly rather than claiming a perfect record.

Can an agent charge me to apply or run a background check?

Consumer Affairs Victoria says rental providers, agents and online platforms cannot charge any fees for a rental application, including background checks. New South Wales announced a ban on charging renters for their own background checks as well. Rules vary by state, so check your state's tenancy authority for the position where you live.

How much does a Rental Reference Letter from Claim Done cost?

It is a flat $29. You answer a few questions, the letter is written in your referee's voice from the facts you give, and you review it and download it for your referee to read, agree with and sign. Nothing is sent to anyone else on your behalf.