now, dont let it go to your head :^)
to your issue,
first - if your policy is one reference is the minimum you require, then make your decision based on what you learned. if you need more than one, let him know that's your policy and leave it to him to provide it or not. i dont suggest short circuiting your policy for any potential client.
second - i agree w/ bigRyan - let the guy know your decision - yes or no.
you dont have to explain your decision unless you want to.
if you do explain it, he might want to explain his desires. or try to convince you to go with it. or something else.
in these cases, that might lead to a long dragged out conversation which you prolly dont want.
so, let him know the result of your screening.
kinda like bigRyan wrote, not letting him know is kinda worse than telling him no. he may or many not continue to msg you about it if you dont reply.
..
Or you can not respond, not let him know, or leave him hanging and it probably will look bad on you. I have said negative things about girls that don't respond or have poor communication. ... Originally Posted by bigryan222
while the specifics of the feedback you got from his reference is probably a girl-only discussion, asking for how to inform him is, in my opinion, a coed discussion.