You’ve owned Waltham rental properties for years and one of your applicants recently submitted an application with what like fake landlord references. The BIG question is how should you handle those references?
In this article we will provide you with tips on how to handle fake landlord references just so you can have confidence in approving those references or not.
Think Like A Detective
The first thing to do when dealing with potentially fake landlord references is to think like a detective and look up the contact information for those references online.
Thankfully, with online tools, you can do a reverse lookup of phone numbers and addresses to determine if the contact information indeed belongs to the landlord references or not.
It’s also possible to review property tax records online so you can determine if a landlord reference is real or not.
You can also look up the landlord reference on social media to see if they are in any of the same pictures as the individual who is applying for your rental property.
Contact the Landlord Reference
When contacting the landlord reference, it’s best to ask direct questions about their former tenant including things like:
- How long did they rent from you?
- Did they pay their rent-on time?
- How did they do with other tenants or neighbors?
- Was the tenant clean and orderly?
- Did they give you a 30-day notice?
- Was the property in good condition when they moved out?
Contact Martin Property Management
To learn more about how to deal with fake landlord references, or to speak with us about our property management services, contact Martin Property Management today by calling us at (617) 957-0166 or click here to connect with us online.
