Wisconsin Code § 895.489

Civil liability exemption; tenancy references
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(1) In this section:
(a) “Reference” means a written or oral statement about the
rental performance of an applicant for tenancy and may include
statements about the applicant’s payment history, conformance to
rental agreement requirements, or conformance to local and state
laws; factual statements regarding any rental agreement enforcement actions, including notices given under s. 704.17, 704.19, or
710.15 (5r); and factual statements about any dispute settlement
between the landlord and applicant in accordance with any agreement between the landlord and applicant relating to termination
of the applicant’s tenancy.
(b) “Tenant” means a residential tenant, regardless of the type
of tenancy or rental period.
(2) A landlord who, on the request of a prospective landlord
of an applicant for tenancy or on the request of the applicant for
tenancy, provides a reference to the prospective landlord is presumed to be acting in good faith and, unless lack of good faith is
shown by clear and convincing evidence, is immune from all civil
liability that may result from providing that reference. The presumption of good faith under this subsection may be rebutted
only upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the
landlord knowingly provided false information in the reference or
made the reference maliciously.

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