Reference Visits: What to Ask (And What to Watch For)

The landlord has provided three tenant references. You schedule calls. You ask: "How's the building?" They say: "It's great."

You've learned nothing.

Reference calls are an opportunity to verify landlord claims and discover what daily life in the building is actually like. But only if you ask the right questions.

The Reference Reality

Why Generic Questions Fail

Tenants on a landlord-provided reference list are generally satisfied. They agreed to be references. They won't volunteer complaints.

Generic questions invite generic answers:

• "How's the building?" → "Good."
• "Any problems?" → "Nothing major."
• "Would you recommend it?" → "Yes."

What You Need to Learn

Specific information that affects your decision:

• Actual response times (not promised)
• Real service quality (not marketed)
• Hidden issues (not disclosed)
• True costs (not projected)
• Daily experience (not tour impression)

The Questions That Work

On Response and Service

Question 1: "Think about the most recent issue you reported to building management. What was it, when did you report it, and how long until it was resolved?"

What you learn: Actual response times vs. promised. Real examples vs. general claims.

Follow-up: "Was that typical, or unusually fast/slow?"

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Question 2: "If something urgent happened on a Friday afternoon, what would you expect to happen?"

What you learn: After-hours capability. Whether someone actually responds.

Follow-up: "Has that happened? How did it go?"

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Question 3: "Who's your main contact in the building? How often do you interact with them?"

What you learn: Relationship depth. Whether there's genuine service or just reactive maintenance.

Follow-up: "Have there been staff changes? How did that affect service?"

On Costs

Question 4: "How have your service charges changed since you moved in?"

What you learn: Actual escalation vs. projected. Hidden cost increases.

Follow-up: "Were the increases explained? Did they seem justified?"

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Question 5: "Were there any cost surprises in your first year?"

What you learn: Hidden costs not in brochures or proposals.

Follow-up: "What would you have asked about before signing that you didn't?"

On Fit-Out and Move

Question 6: "How did your fit-out timeline compare to what was promised?"

What you learn: Accuracy of landlord commitments. Real project management capability.

Follow-up: "What caused delays, if any? How were they handled?"

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Question 7: "What issues came up during fit-out that you didn't anticipate?"

What you learn: Hidden building complications. Discovery risks.

Follow-up: "How did the landlord help resolve them?"

On Daily Experience

Question 8: "What do your employees complain about most?"

What you learn: The real issues that affect daily life. What surveys reveal.

Follow-up: "How does management respond to these complaints?"

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Question 9: "If you were renewing your lease tomorrow, what would you negotiate differently?"

What you learn: What they've learned that they wish they'd known. Real priorities.

Follow-up: "Are you likely to renew?"

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Question 10: "What's the best thing about being in this building? And the worst?"

What you learn: Honest assessment. What matters to tenants like you.

Follow-up: "Would your employees agree?"

What to Watch For

During the Call

Enthusiasm vs. obligation: Are they answering because they have to, or because they genuinely want to help? Genuine enthusiasm indicates real satisfaction.

Specificity vs. vagueness: Specific examples indicate honest feedback. Vague generalities might mask issues.

Hedging: "Overall it's good" suggests qualifications they're not sharing. Probe: "What's not good?"

Referral to others: "You should talk to [other tenant]" might mean they have issues but don't want to be the one to say it.

Red Flags

Reluctance to discuss specifics: If they won't give examples, they may have none—or uncomfortable ones.

"We don't interact much with management": This might mean service is fine, or that they've given up reporting issues.

Recent staff changes: High turnover in building management often precedes service quality issues.

"It's improved recently": This means it was bad before. Ask what changed and whether the improvement has held.

"We're considering other options": They're not happy. Ask why, gently.

Green Flags

Specific stories with positive outcomes: "Last month the elevator broke and they had it fixed by end of day."

Voluntary praise: "I should mention, the reception team is exceptional."

Long tenure: Tenants who've renewed multiple times are genuinely satisfied.

"We'd definitely renew": Actual commitment, not just absence of complaints.

"I wish we'd known about this building sooner": They compared alternatives and chose well.

The Visit

If possible, visit the reference tenant's space. What you observe:

Environment:

• Is their space comfortable?
• Is it well-maintained?
• Do employees seem happy?
• Is it similar to what you need?

Common areas:

• How does the lobby feel?
• Are hallways clean?
• Are meeting rooms available?
• What's the general energy?

Staff interaction:

• How are you greeted?
• How do building staff interact with tenants?
• Is there a hospitality feel or institutional feel?

Ask the receptionist: "How do you like working here?" Front-line staff often have the most honest perspective.

The Synthesis

After reference calls, organize your findings:

Look for:

• Consistency (same story from everyone = credible)
• Contradictions (different stories = investigate)
• Patterns (common themes = systemic)

The Questions You Should Ask Yourself

After reference calls:

1. Did I learn anything the landlord hadn't told me?
2. Did anything contradict what the landlord claimed?
3. Would I be comfortable as one of these tenants?
4. Are these tenants similar enough to me that their experience is relevant?
5. What would I do differently based on what I learned?

The Bottom Line

Reference calls are due diligence, not courtesy. The landlord expects you to call. References expect questions.

Use the opportunity. Ask specific questions. Listen for what's not said. Visit if possible.

A 30-minute call can save you from years of regret.

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LINK Geneva provides tenant references for every prospective tenant. Request reference contacts and ask them anything.