Trying to get reference from applicant's current/previous landlords

[D'vorah Nadel]

I'm the owner of multiple units in Western NC and do the property management. We have a unit we have received applications for and I am trying to get references from current/previous landlords. I am running into two different situations that I've never experienced before. 

#1- Applicants current landlord has not returned my calls or texts. Applicant was upfront when applying that she has not been able to get a hold of her landlord for over a month now and has been depositing her rent directly to the landlords bank as she wasn't available to collect in person.  She doesn't have any other prior landlords for me to contact as she has just recently graduated from school and moved out from her parents. All of her other references and employment are solid. 

#2 A different applicant provided the list of previous landlords and both were with larger apartment complexes. Both stated that they do not do tenant verification. I informed them that I have a signed release of information form from the applicant and they still would not verify any information. I have never run into a property management company doing this before. 

Looking for suggestions on how to help verify applicants and in doing my due diligence prior to approving them against these roadblocks. 

Thank you.