There are a variety of reasons why you may get asked to provide a proof of residency letter by an existing tenant.
Residency proof is often required for many activities that a tenant must complete as they’re moving into a rental property. They may need to prove residency in order to change their address on their driver’s license, set up utility bills or even update voter registration.
At times, the lease agreement will be enough to prove where a person resides, but if supporting documents are necessary, a letter from you could do the trick.
If a tenant does need you to formally acknowledge they live at a specific address, make sure the proof of residency letter you create is professional and informative. They’re pretty direct, and pretty easy, especially if you use a template.
What is a proof of residency letter?
A proof of residency letter is a sworn statement that confirms that the person named in the letter actually lives at the current address listed. It ensures the contact details they’ve provided match up with your official documents. You’re seen as a reliable source to provide address proof for your tenant, and the letter you submit is actually considered a legally binding document.
The letter confirms the recipient’s address, so your tenant has proof they live where they live. It’s a common ask for a variety of different things, some not so obvious.
Why might a tenant need a proof of residency letter?
While a variety of documents can establish residency, some situations require the individual to provide proof from more than one source. This is why they may need a residency letter along with additional documents.
Possible scenarios where a proof of residency letter is necessary include:
- Applying for in-state tuition at college
- Going to the Department of Motor Vehicles to update (or get) a driver’s license
- Getting a local library card
- Verifying a child lives at a particular address to go to school in a specific school district
- Establishing a tenant lived at a certain address for a specific period of time
- Applying for a job with any government agencies
- Gaining eligibility for specific insurance programs
Do I need to get the letter notarized?
While it’s not required to have a notary public stamp a letter to prove residency, it often helps make the document more official. Many landlords will opt to get notary proof for their residency letters, especially if they know the tenant is using the document as a cover letter for other evidence documents that establish proof of address.
Other options for proof of residency
Oftentimes, your tenant will need more than one piece of proof to establish residency, so they’ll look to use your letter in conjunction with other evidence documents that feature their mailing address.
If your tenant ever asks you what other documents establish residency, options include:
- A valid driver’s license
- Utility bill
- A piece of mail sent to your current address
- Lease agreement
- Voter registration card
- Bank statements
- Credit card bill
Basically, any document that verified your information independently, and often requires a proof of residency letter on their own, helps establish further proof.
Proof of residency letter vs. landlord reference letter
A proof of residency letter is different from a landlord reference letter. A landlord reference letter is a letter written by a property owner or manager that attests to the good character of the tenant. Its use would be more for a former tenant looking to rent in a new location.
A landlord reference letter could help convince a future landlord that this tenant would be a good choice. It may lead to follow-up questions from the potential landlord related to how well the tenant paid monthly rent, among other key points, that make a tenant a good renter.
A proof of residency letter only confirms that the person named in the letter actually lives at the address listed, or was a resident within a specified period.
While both documents serve different purposes, they can complement each other in various situations. Proof of residency letter primarily focuses on verifying an individual’s address history and may be requested for purposes like obtaining a driver’s license, enrolling in school, or applying for government benefits. It essentially confirms a person’s physical presence at a specific location.
What should you include in a proof of residency letter template?
Since a proof of residency letter is official testimony, it should feel professional. Use a business letter format, which means you should make your residency letter clean and short. You want to get to the point as quickly as possible in a residency letter.
The necessary information your proof of residency letter should include is:
- Your name, address and contact information
- Date
- Name and full address of the person/organization making the residency claim
- Complete address of the rental property
- Legal name of the person whose residency is in question
- The timeframe the individual lived in the rental property (the lease term), or whether they’re a current resident
- Your signature
You can consider adding a witness signature, who is the actual tenant, or having the document notarized. Both add an extra layer of professionalism to the letter.
Proof of residency letter template
To make it quick and easy to generate a residency letter for your tenants, this proof of residency template can help.
Today’s date
The name and address of the party requesting the residency letter
Dear ____________,
This letter is to confirm that [Tenant’s legal name] resides within the property located at [Complete address information]. [Tenant’s name] has been a tenant at this property since [Start date of lease], and their current lease expires on [Date].
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
[Your actual signature]
Your Name
Job title
Your contact information
Past proof of residency letter template
For tenants who lived in your rental property previously, but need to establish proof of residency during that timeframe, you’d use a slightly different template.
Today’s date
The name and address of the party requesting the residency letter
Dear ____________,
This letter is to confirm that [Tenant’s full legal name] lived within the property located at [Complete address information] from [Start date] to [End date].
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
[Your actual signature]
Your Name
Job Title
Your contact information
Offering a residence letter makes you a better landlord
Providing a proof of residency letter for your tenants is an easy way to be a good landlord. This supplemental evidence can make a big difference for your tenants, and as long as you’ve got a template ready to go, generating a proof of residency letter takes barely any time at all.
Keeping tenant-landlord relationships strong isn’t always easy, and this is one way to keep things going smoothly between the two of you.
This post first appeared on Redfin.com. To see the original, click here.