Small landlords with two to ten units usually run their rentals alongside a demanding day job, which means tenant screening often falls through the cracks. They buy automated credit checks online, but they rarely have thirty minutes during business hours to chase down a former landlord who won’t answer the phone. That is where a dedicated landlord reference check service comes in. You take the applicant’s rental history form, dial the past two property owners, and run through a tight five-question script asking about late payments, property damage, noise complaints, and whether they would rent to this person again. By offering a specialized rental reference calling service, you handle the frustrating phone tag that automated software cannot solve. Adding direct tenant background phone verification to an owner’s screening routine saves them from costly lease defaults. Every call takes under ten minutes once you get the former landlord on the line, and you deliver a concise summary report back to the owner for a flat $25 to $40 per applicant. Landing your first ten clients requires direct outreach on local real estate investor forums, attending regional property manager meetups, or dropping off flyers at local landlord association meetings. The ceiling comes down to your personal phone bandwidth, but as a solo side business, it generates immediate cash flow with zero financial risk.
What works in its favour
- Zero financial capital required to start beyond a personal smartphone and an email address
- Fills an obvious manual gap that automated credit and background check software cannot handle
- High repeat business potential from local property owners who handle steady tenant turnover
What to watch out for
- Heavy reliance on phone tag with unresponsive or busy former property owners can stall turnarounds
- Requires strict adherence to factual question scripts to keep calls objective and compliant with housing standards
- Income is capped by personal phone hours unless you hire and train freelance phone operators
The verdict
This is a dependable, low-stress cash business for an organized communicator who isn’t afraid to pick up the phone and follow up relentlessly. Skip it if you hate phone tag or want hands-off passive income without real-time effort.