Describe who should provide a reference and which facts you need confirmed. Makeform creates a rental reference form that previous landlords or employers can complete online, with tailored questions and a clear review trail.
Route reference responses to email, Google Sheets, Slack, and Zapier.
Sample prompts for the builder
Choose a complete prompt, tailor it, or send it into the Makeform builder. Each structure is editable.
Audience
Past landlords confirming an applicant's rental history
Format
Structured tenancy reference with conditional follow-up
Prompt size
330 chars
Example form structure
Structured tenancy reference with conditional follow-up
Referee name, role, and contact details
Tenancy start and end dates
Was rent generally paid by the due date?
Documented damage beyond ordinary wear?
Record-based comments
Suggested routing tags
Landlord reference
Employer reference
Needs follow-up
Ask for dates and observable facts. Structured fields are easier to review than general opinions.
Step 1
Request
send a unique reference link
Step 2
Identify
capture the referee and relationship
Step 3
Verify
collect dates, amounts, and record-based facts
Step 4
Review
route complete responses to the applicant file
Better reference checks
Phone notes, short emails, and incomplete employer replies are hard to compare. A purpose-built form makes responses reviewable.
Use the relationship question to show tenancy fields to landlords and employment fields to employers, while keeping identity and follow-up questions consistent.
Ask for occupancy dates, stated rent, payment timing, employment start date, and confirmation status in structured fields instead of inviting vague character judgments.
Tag responses by applicant reference code, reference type, and follow-up status so the screening team can see what arrived and what still needs attention.
Built for real screening workflows
Landlords, management companies, and employers hold different records. Choose an audience, then edit before sharing.
A clear tenancy history path for dates, rent, payment timing, notices, move-out, and documented property condition.
Applicant and address identifiers help office staff find the right record before completing a compact verification.
A limited employment path with authorization, unable-to-disclose choices, status, start date, and follow-up preference.
Branch from one relationship question when applicants may submit a landlord, employer, or both as references.
Reference workflow
Build around your review process, test both paths, and connect each response to the correct applicant.
State who may respond, which facts matter, what the referee sees, and who reviews submissions.
Use neutral questions plus not known and unable to disclose options.
Preview both routes, required fields, confirmation message, and applicant code before sending.
Notify the screening inbox, label the response, and respect the referee's contact preference.
Form vs email vs phone
A conversation can add context, but a structured online form gives every referee the same relevant definitions and gives reviewers responses in the same order.
Field guide
Keep the form brief while showing who answered, what record they checked, and what needs clarification.
Applicant match
Provide enough context to find the correct record. Use an applicant code and the address or organization instead of reproducing the application.
Referee identity
Collect respondent identity, role, and relationship first. Ask whether they can consult the record and receive follow-up.
Tenancy facts
Use dates, currency, dropdowns, and yes-or-no fields for confirmable facts. Reveal comments only when context is needed.
Employment facts
Limit this path to relevant work facts and let respondents decline information their policy restricts.
Answer quality
Not known, not applicable, and unable to disclose are different. These choices reduce guesses and clarify follow-up needs.
Review routing
Use internal identifiers and routing tags so each submission reaches the right applicant file and reviewer.
Related tools
Pair the reference request with application, residency, tenancy, and property forms that already have live Makeform tool pages.
Create a broader reference request for applicant screening workflows.
Open toolFAQ
Practical answers for landlords and property managers collecting references online.
It is a structured request for a landlord, property manager, or employer to confirm relevant information about a rental applicant.
Ask about their role, occupancy dates, rent, payment timing, documented notices or damage, and move-out status. Include not known options.
Yes. Start with the referee relationship, then show tenancy questions to landlords and limited work-verification questions to employers.
Require a non-sensitive applicant code. You may also show the applicant name and the address or employer being verified.
Offer unable to disclose, not known, and not applicable. Add an optional explanation and ask whether another authorized contact exists.
Yes. Makeform is unlimited free for generating, editing, publishing, and collecting responses. The paid tier only removes the Makeform badge.
Yes. Edit labels, choices, required settings, and section order. Remove unused questions and preview both conditional paths before publishing.
Ask for contact permission and preference. Route unclear submissions for focused follow-up, and keep reviewer notes separate from referee answers.
Replace scattered reference emails with one clear request.
