Tenancy Reference / Release of Information

Past residents:

We are always willing to provide past residents with a tenancy reference.  If you need a generic letter or one addressed to a specific party / person please request one by emailing us at Leasing@northberkeleyproperties.com

If your new property manager is requesting a tenancy reference for you please have them contact us and emailing us a list of questions.  Typically most have a questionnaire that they will have us fill out.

They can send these questions / forms to us at:

Leasing@northberkeleyproperties.com or fax at 510-849-0387

Please note that we must have signed authorization from you as a past resident in order to release information out.  This is typically authorized by your signature on the rental application.  We do not accept ‘verbal’ or ‘word of mouth’ authorizations.

Property managers:

For requesting information on past residents that have rented from us please make sure you have their dates of residency, full names, and apartment address to assist us with our records check.

Please also make sure you provide us with the signed authorization to release this information to you.  To abide by the ‘Fair Credit Reporting Act’ both the party providing information and receiving information about any consumer / tenant must have signed authorization to obtain or release this information out.

Signed authorizations are typically the bottom section of your application forms stating that the applicant authorized a credit / reference check from a credit bureau, past landlord, reference, etc.

Please send us this signed authorization and your list of questions to:

Leasing@northberkeleyproperties.com or fax at 510-849-0387

Many smaller landlords believe they can request this information without written authorization – you may be in violation of the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act without this!

Be sure you have proper written authorization from your tenant applicant to make these calls. This authorization typically is included on the rental application.

On the RentPrep renter application, the verbiage is on the back and includes a line that says “I authorize the release of information from previous or current landlords, employers, and bank representatives.”

Without written consent, a landlord could be in violation of the laws laid out by the FCRA.

Source – RentPrep

Penalties for willful non-compliance of the FCRA may result in a lawsuit against you by the consumer or a $1,000 penalty for every violation! (Source – FCRA Violations)

To ensure our compliance with the FCRA (and yours) we always ask that you please provide the signed authorization prior to us releasing sensitive credit information out.

Thank you for your understanding!-