Reasonable to ask for ID, if you have actually met the person. What can a landlord ask for on a rental application in Ontario? recent payslips or bank statements. You should never release your SIN to the landlord. They should ensure that these purposes are limited to what a reasonable person would consider appropriate under the circumstances. While most landlords in Ontario are not able to evict you for owning a pet, they are allowed to reject your rental application for owning a pet. Lets look at the standard rental application process in Canada and go over some things that your landlord can and cannot legally ask you. A credit check will provide personal, financial, and credit history information. In your application, you will be requested to share certain information with the landlord. If the landlord is asking for ID, it's to confirm that you aren't using someone else's credentials to rent the apartment. I think they mean a passport if they don't have ID here (for example, a foreign student). Not only can a landlord ask for photo identification, they should. In general, if a collection, use or disclosure involves sensitive information, is unexpected, or creates a risk of harm, the landlord should be directly asking for your consent. A landlord can ask you about your income, but they must also look at any available information on your rental history, credit references and credit rating (such as through Equifax Canada). Prior to signing, a pet deposit or monthly pet fee can be discussed with the landlord and negotiated. This could be a common rental scam. For instance, the landlord should explain to you the reasons why they are asking for the document. If renters resist the idea, be sure to explain that it's their belongings that are being protected! If you don't get a good answer, you can refuse. Canada Buzz is an advertising-supported blog. Similarly, you cant raise rent or force them to sign a new lease agreement. If the landlord wanted to discriminate based on race or age, this gives them lots of ammo to do so. Preparing these documents before applying for a place bring you peace of mind and you are more likely to get the place. Is the Economist Intelligence Unit credible? Technically, collecting information in this fashion falls under The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and should be done with care. Yes, you can ask for bank statements to prove the financial situation of a renter. Join us and subscribe to get updates on the Toronto rental market. Landlords cannot ask you personal questions that interfere with your rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Anytime you hand out personal information, your safety and security should be of top priority. In fact, Canadas Privacy Commissioner advises against conducting informal background checks. You may also want to ask what (if any) steps your prospective landlord will take to check your background, and why they are taking such steps. No, she did not tell me the purpose of why she needs to obtain photo id. They are not, however, allowed to deny you the unit because you have small children. But you arent required to provide it. If your landlord requires a background check, we can help you quickly and affordably obtain one. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, tips for landlords on common privacy issues in the rental housing sector, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec have provincial private sector laws, contact the provincial privacy oversight authority, Privacy guidance for landlords and tenants, Privacy and Landlord-Tenant Matters Frequently Asked Questions, The lease and protection of personal information- Principles and guidelines to observe, capturing your image on a security camera, landlords do not have the right to disclose information such as a poor payment history, right to access your own personal information, 10 Privacy Tips for the Rental Housing Sector, Third-party landlord organization collected, used and disclosed tenants personal information without their consent, SIN not required when signing apartment lease, Landlord collected tenants personal information as part of investigation into breach of rental agreement, Property management company agrees to scrap "bad tenant list", When using video surveillance, security needs must respect privacy requirements, contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Yes, landlords will call a tenants references (previous landlords) to verify rental history as part of their tenant screening process. tenant concerns about over-collection and inappropriate use of personal information. Airbnb vs. renting: which is more profitable for landlords? I dont see the big deal.. many high rise apartment buildings do the same. Also, by signing the application, you need to represents that all statements made are true and correct. Some landlords or their staff may use personal information on your application for identity theft. Plus, the tenant screening process of checking references and running credit checks would likely uncover lies about rental and financial histories. Is a landlord allowed to ask for bank statements? This is part three of our four-part series and you can check out the rest of the FAQs below: For more info on rental laws and policies (e.g. Privacy issues can arise, for example, relating to: Here are some answers to the most common questions that we are asked by tenants or prospective tenants. if you work, and where you work. Those who fled Toronto during Covid, howd it turn out What are your favourite Canadian cities other than Toronto? Documents are faxed or scanned and emailed routinely. Can a tenant refuse entry to landlord Ontario during Covid? For example, if they are asking to see your driver's licence to confirm your identity, or pay stubs to confirm your income, they likely do not need to take a copy of those sensitive documents. Electrical safety. It is an extra one that some have tried to collect in case of damage. Should you send bank statements to landlord? A rent deposit clearly differs from a . Rental Tip: Documenting condition to avoid disputes. (i.e., that you aren't committing identify theft.) During the application process, landlords can ask a variety of questions to ensure they're choosing the right tenant. Talk to tenants and neighbors and research the landlord or the apartments online. However, knowing your credit score before you start apartment-hunting can help you zero in on properties you may qualify to rent. Note: Ontario has a rent freeze in place for 2021. Asking for information surrounding someones passport, drivers license, employer, income and expenses are not needed to complete a credit check, but you can ask for these items for the purposes of: ensuring the credit check is being done on the correct person and not someone with the same name and date of birth, Request a guarantor if you are asking all other prospective tenants for one. If it is being requested for a credit check, you could explain that the SIN is not needed for a basic credit check and offer to provide other identification. It's is needed to run credit and background checks. A full credit report is a record of the borrowers credit history from a number of sources, including banks, credit card companies, collection agencies, and governments. One of the ways we get rewarded is via ads and affiliates. Of course, as humans in Canada, we all have our own fundamental human rights. $81.80-97.32 Round Trip Fare! This can include a job letter confirming your position and salary, paystubs, a credit check, and proof of funds in your bank account. the names of people who will be living with you. Also, ask where a "regular guest" was defined in the lease so that you can better understand her response. 6. Access to your Banking records if you have Open Banking. If, for example, the landlord requests a credit score based on the tenants behalf, this information must be made available to the tenant if requested. The landlord-tenant relationship can involve the collection, use and disclosure of significant amounts of personal information. Landlords should get consent for obtaining and providing reference and/or background checks. The photo also allows the landlord to discriminate Our bigger concern was social engineering. Allowed. Looking for a credit card? Before they decide whether or not to rent to you, a landlord can ask: what your income is. Again, you are not legally required to provide this information, though it may affect the landlords willingness to rent to you. SanDisk 128GB High Endurance Video microSDXC $24. In Ontario, rents can be raised up to the maximum allowable increase either 12 months after the last rent increase or the start date of the tenancy. Therefore, a landlord may not ask whether you are on public assistance during or after the application process. Instead, a landlord can ask for last month's deposit. If they are just naive landlords, they'll likely just stop asking for it. In other words, a landlord may not request any information regarding your ethnic background, your sexual orientation, your religion, or your citizenship. Tesla Model Y - $15K off / Model 3 - $5K off + $5K Federal Rebate, [Apple] Pro tip: Use a trusted rental platform like liv.rent with verified landlords and listings to protect yourself from scams. However, do send them blurry pictures of the tenants also, possibly with a watermark, an irreverent gesture (like bunny ears or peace signs such that they won't fit the passport photo guidelines https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html). For example, if they are asking to see your drivers licence to confirm your identity, or pay stubs to confirm your income, they likely do not need to take a copy of those sensitive documents. Your Social Insurance Number is a confidential number used for income reporting purposes. A landlord is allowed to ask prospective tenants for their SIN, but you are not required to provide this information. One area of typical concern is tenant privacy rights. This means that, unless an organization can demonstrate that your SIN is required by law, or that no alternative identifier would suffice to complete the transaction, you cannot be denied a product or service on the grounds of your refusal to provide your SIN. Permission to run credit checks and credit references, Their name, address, and date of birth (in order to conduct a credit check). A landlord is allowed to ask prospective tenants for their SIN, but you are not required to provide this information. There's bad land lords, but there's even worse tenants, which is why both parties feel the need to protect themselves. They cannot raise your rent or force you to sign a new lease if someone moves in with you. These questions include: Age - Landlords cannot inquire as to how old you are and are unable to refuse to rent to you on these grounds. Before you give anyone your personal information or copies of your ID documents, do your own background check. Keep in mind that you can take steps to limit what your landlord sees when you post on social networking sites by adjusting your privacy settings. Canada Buzz is a purely informational blog. How to Add a Tenant to an Existing Rental Lease. 2 and 3 are red flags. contact us I would say it's not typically normal to require ID before showing, however if the owner has a rep or appointed someone to show the rental on their behalf, it's probably just a reassurance thing as to not waste time on no shows etc. Under the law, organizations cannot require you to consent to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information unless it is required for a specific and legitimate purpose. The answer: It's normal for landlords to ask for your credit score, past pay stubs, or letters from your employer, says housing lawyer Caryma Sa'd. Anything that deals with your income,. Personal Finance and Travel Rewards Expert Contributor. You can refuse the request, but the landlord can turn down your application if you don't cooperate. Asking about a persons age, disabilities, religion, sexual orientation, place of origin, family status or gender expression are considered personal questions that interfere with their rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Stay up to date on the current Ontario rent increase guidelines here. He said if I am too busy in August traveling and stuff and can't come in 3 weeks, I can wait and give all those things like copies when I move in september 1st. +91-9879950702 Monday - Friday 10:00 - 7:30 Rakhiyal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat . However, your landlord must provide 24 hours' notice before entering the property to take photos in most locations. Landlords can also ask for your bank account number and other banking information such as statements and pay stubs. You can ask questions about why certain documents are being requested, and, if necessary, suggest alternatives which could achieve the same goal. We may alter brand placements on our website to amplify our partners and their offers. Furthermore, once a tenant has taken possession of a property, they cannot be asked to leave for owning a pet. Can a landlord ask for a copy of your ID in California? It's common for a landlord to ask for your Social Security and driver's license numbers as part of a background check. Landlords and property managers have a lawful purpose to collect information about a rental property when they carry out a property inspection. If you are applying for more than one adult, The landlord may want to see everyones job letter. Can you clarify what you mean by the damage deposit being illegal? The landlord can also ask for a guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students. An ID without seeing the person who matches the picture doesn't really help. It's illegal to discriminate against tenants based on demographics -- for example, because of race, color, religion or nationality. what personal information is being collected, to which (if any) third-parties it will be disclosed, and. Is asking for photocopies of all my ID a normal procedure? After all, you may need a reference from them in the future. For this reason, there are certain things that a landlord cannot ask you for. Sign up for free or download the app. Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Rental dictionary: 75 essential terms for renters & landlords, Landlord guide: renting out your house with a mortgage, Rental inspection checklist for landlords. A landlord can ask questions related to the tenancy so long as they don't . Fraser Sherman has written about bankruptcy law, real estate law, tax law, business law and several other categories. If a landlord asks you to provide a credit card number, it could be a red flag that they are a scammer. What's the issue unless you have something to hide? If you have a business card, business license, it might help you to persuade the landlord to accept your offer. Other laws may apply to some situations. Speak to a professional before making decisions related to your circumstances. Generally, landlords cannot take photos of you or your personal . , Proof of Income (Bank Statement or Salary Slips). Most landlords and referencing agencies require tenants to provide bank statements as proof of income and rent payments. Its important to have an amicable relationship with your landlord. Landlords require a lot of sensitive information as part of the rental process, but do you know what theyre allowed to ask you?Welcome to our FAQ series, were liv.rent and were your all-in-one platform that makes renting safe, secure, and easy. The landlord will need your name, address, and date of birth to run a . This is part of a landlords tenant screening process to ensure that the applicant is financially fit to rent. Your email address will not be published. For details about other laws that apply to rental issues, please see Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations Renting in Canada information. You need to make the request in writing. What information do I need to give to a new tenant? You don't have to disclose it, but if the condo has no pets in their declaration (not just a rule) you can be kicked out for having them. Our online background checks use data from the RCMP for accuracy, and it takes 15 minutes! I think it is weird. I should be able to enjoy Barrie as he earlier assured me I can without problem about dates. Not on liv.rent yet? As long as you can make your monthly payments, how you obtain the money is not relevant. Landlords who are given access to your personal information are required by law to follow specific guidelines for keeping that information secure. For example, if a landlord should ask for a bank statement, they must disclose what they wish to use that information for. A pay stub, which most people who work corporate jobs receive at the end of each pay period, is the most common form of proof of income. In Ontario a secruity amount is illegal. like the job letter, you most likely need to prepare it for all of the applicants. 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