Can a landlord ask for a copy of your ID in California? All you can eat crepes . It's not written on lease. If an applicants personal information isnt collected or shared the right way, or their privacy is breached, you as a property owner can be held liable. How to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada? One of the ways we get rewarded is via ads and affiliates. How to Add a Tenant to an Existing Rental Lease. His work has been featured in publications such as Forbes Advisor, Bankrate, Credit Karma, Finance Buzz, The Ascent and Student Loan Planner. if you smoke. I've never been asked for ID when renting a place. Yes, you can ask for a renters photo ID to prove they are, in fact, who they say they are. Technically, collecting information in this fashion falls under The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and should be done with care. Anyone else feel like life here is going nowhere? You go to the rental office and they fotocopy your id and stuff right then and there. No the landlord is not legally required to provide you copy of their ID. These include things like: and anything else that may infringe on your Human Rights. 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. Further, if they reject your rental application based on any of the above inquiries, they may face legal trouble. There may also be individual Human Rights Tribunals based on which province you are located in. Required fields are marked *. They must identify the reasons for collecting personal information before or at the time of collection. Who will be living with you and what are their names? So while a tenant can technically turn away an applicant for having a pet, they legally arent supposed to. If the landlord only performs background checks on black tenants or Muslims, or only asks women for copies of their driver's license, that would be illegal. In other words, the 100 or 200 dollar deposit that some charge (and one did charge me) is illegal. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) generally recommends that individuals do not give the SIN to a private-sector organization unless there is a legal requirement to do so. But you arent required to provide it. [Read Full Bio], Your email address will not be published. Weve rounded up the Best life in Canada, with the best promotions, and the best sign-up bonuses, to help you maximize your benefits. Name. . 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,. When you want to rent an apartment or house, you usually need to fill out an application or give some information to the landlord. All rights reserved. Your email address will not be published. In California, one of the pieces of information the landlord can ask for is your bank balance. how many people will be living with you. Maybe it's their way of weeding out people who are not serious? Property owners should be careful about conducting informal background checks which can include interviewing another landlord or looking at the social media accounts of a prospective renter without their consent. Allowed. Is that the way it is supposed to be? Access to your Banking records if you have Open Banking. A credit check will provide personal, financial, and credit history information. 03:06. One of the first steps is to prepare the following documents that most of the Landlords or their real estate agents are looking for. [Tesla] No, you cant require to know if someone new moves in with an existing renter. Note: Ontario has a rent freeze in place for 2021. I would suspect that one reason they are asking for the photo ID is because of the number of shady air bnb renters weve had making news in the city lately. Its reasonable to expect landlords to ask potential tenants for certain types of personal information like proof of income, references or identification. They cant serve as an opinion or professional advice. If they want that, tell them you don't think that's correct for them to ask and see what they say. This law is current as of 2021. Yes, landlords can refuse to rent to people in Ontario as long as theyre following the Ontario Human Rights Code and Residential Tenancies Act, which afford renters some protections against discrimination based on age, race, family status et cetera. 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. Other things in 1 (like age) are also big red flags for me. I wouldn't send any of this until you have seen the apartment and meet the landlord in person. Personal Finance and Travel Rewards Expert Contributor. What do you need to get an apartment in Ontario? Pro tip: Use a trusted rental platform like liv.rent with verified landlords and listings to protect yourself from scams. Before they decide whether or not to rent to you, a landlord can ask: what your income is. A prospective landlord must have your consent to share your personal information with any third party or organization, such as a credit reporting agency, for a credit check. Based on the Ontario Human Rights Commission's policies on housing, the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code, you can only ask prospective tenants about their rental history, as well as information required for credit checks and determining if they have money issues. 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. Join us and subscribe to get updates on the Toronto rental market. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Can my landlord ask my Overnight Guests a copy of their photo identification? I would ask for ID as a land lord. Part 2: What do you need when applying for a rental? In this article, were going to go over the most popular questions that renters (including first-time renters) have about the rental process. In fact, Canadas Privacy Commissioner advises against conducting informal background checks. Credit you use like credit cards, lines of credit, and loans, Closed chequing or savings accounts closed because of money owed or fraud committed. That is your option. 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. Cameras should not capture the inside of apartments. This means that there are laws surrounding what a landlord can and cannot ask you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Send landlord a picture of Mister Bean's passports. Its perfectly normal for a landlord or property manager to ask for your bank account number on a rental application. So there you have it - a clear answer to the question of whether a landlord can ask for your driver's license (they can) along with helpful tips on how to navigate the request when you don't have one and a . For a landlord, taking you on as a tenant is a gamble. They've asked for a picture too, but that doesn't help much. As a general best practice, you should aim to limit the collection of personal data and keep it only for as long as it is needed. Read more about your legal rights as landlord for renters with pets. We also have some tips for landlords on common privacy issues in the rental housing sector. In the clamber of finding a new residence, youll want to be sure your potential new landlord isnt asking questions beyond the scope of your ability to finance and care for the property. Sign up now. 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. Complete honesty is the only approach you should take to renting. Do not send a copy of passport/ID. Your email address will not be published. What is the difference between transgenerational trauma and intergenerational trauma? (i.e., that you aren't committing identify theft.). Most of the time you need a recent one. Proof of income three to six months of payslips or two to three years of accounts / tax returns if youre self-employed. Sounds like they're going for identity theft. Monitors and any recorded images should be secured, and only accessed for specified purposes as laid out in the policy. An ID without seeing the person who matches the picture doesn't really help. Prepare your last 3 paystubs. Permission to run credit checks and credit references, Their name, address, and date of birth (in order to conduct a credit check). Landlords are required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canadas federal private sector privacy law, or provincial legislation deemed to be substantially similar. No, landlords cannot see how much money is in your bank account. Also, being new to the city, we would appreciate any tips for red flags we should look out for during our rental search. [Cora] There are different agencies that you may apply for your credit reports, such as Equifax and Transunion. Your landlord must: give you 24 hours written notice. Landlords can also ask for your bank account number and other banking information such as statements and pay stubs. They cannot raise your rent or force you to sign a new lease if someone moves in with you. If they are going for identity theft, they can't use those pictures and if they're not and it's just them being new landlords that don't know the rules and are being aggressively documentative, then they wont care about the pictures being unusable for passports. Yes, they can. that I must register my guests, show copy of id etc. Plus, the tenant screening process of checking references and running credit checks would likely uncover lies about rental and financial histories. Yes, for residential units occupied before November 15, 2018, you can raise rent in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. references from past landlords. For users logging in via Facebook. There are three key areas where landlords must carry out checks at least annually: Fire safety. You need to show at least a piece valid government-issued photo ID to the landlord or the real estate agent, such asDriverss License,State issued photo ID,Passport. 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. Sometimes, rental application forms contain very sensitive questions, such as a bank account number, proof of income and more. Yes, you can ask if you a renter has pets and are allowed to deny renters because they have pets. a Job letter or an Employment Verification Letter is aletter that shows the employees name, job position, tenure, and income. Pro tip: liv.rent has more pet-friendly rentals than any other listings platform. It's illegal to discriminate against tenants based on demographics -- for example, because of race, color, religion or nationality. What documents can a landlord ask for in Ontario? To clarify, a landlord can ask for your SIN when completing an application to rent a property or negotiating a lease with a landlord, according to the Government of Canadas website. In other areas, such as BC (British Columbia), landlords may request . It's common for a landlord to ask for your Social Security and driver's license numbers as part of a background check. A landlord can ask, however, for the names of all people who will be living at the rental, and can require all adults to sign the lease or rental agreement. If you have a question, concerns about your privacy or want to file a complaint against an organization, we are here to help. If renters resist the idea, be sure to explain that it's their belongings that are being protected! Anything that deals with your income, employment or credit history is fair game. [Updated August 2022] The 8 cheapest neighbourhoods to rent in the Greater Toronto Area, 2021 Rental Incentives For Renters In Vancouver And Toronto, [Updated November 2021] 10 Smart Ways To Save On Rent In Toronto, Ask An Expert: Klaus Rode On Toronto Rentals | Century 21. +91-9879950702 Monday - Friday 10:00 - 7:30 Rakhiyal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat . Can landlord ask for bank statements Ontario? 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. Other laws may apply to some situations. Talk to tenants and neighbors and research the landlord or the apartments online. Don't bother with IDs. Mac Mini 2023 - M2 - $669 education discount. A rental application is something that you fill out when applying for a rental property. Proof of identity a driving licence or passport. Keeping a photo of a persons ID, for example, is subject to the law as it is considered collection of personal information. ID isnt necessarily strange, but they shouldnt be specifically asking for a passport. Your rental history. 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. The landlords details including their service address. However, our team strives to bring you quality, unbiased information. You're entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. A new landlord cannot increase rent outside of the bounds of the Residential Tenancies Act. Learn more at our resource centre. Find the best mortgage rates and see whats available on the market now. Can a tenant refuse entry to landlord Ontario during Covid? Youre entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. Income information can only be considered on its own when no other information is made available, and only to make sure you earn enough to pay the rent. What credit score do I need to rent a flat? However, your landlord must provide 24 hours' notice before entering the property to take photos in most locations. Though this is a very touchy subject in Canada, yes, landlords can ask if you have pets. The landlord-tenant relationship can involve the collection, use and disclosure of significant amounts of personal information. Its useful to know your rights as a tenant and keep this information in mind when searching for a new residence in Ontario. Ask Your Own Canada Law Question You misunderstand my third question. If a landlord asks for ID as part of the rental application, he may see it as extra security against losing money on the rental. No, landlords cant ask for your credit card number. Toronto certainly isn't known for having the cheapest rent in Canada. 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). Yes, landlords can refuse to rent to people in Ontario as long as they're following the Ontario Human Rights Code and Residential Tenancies Act, which afford renters some protections against discrimination based on age, race, family status et cetera. Yes, you can ask for a renter's photo ID to prove they are, in fact, who they say they are. Tesla Model Y - $15K off / Model 3 - $5K off + $5K Federal Rebate, [Apple] The owner got back with a description of the condo and asked for the following as part of application: Name, Address, Phone No, Age, Pets, Car, Occupation: I presume these are standard questions. IDs would include DoB, mother's name, father's name etc. Your employment history. What's a good bar to go for a first date? You're entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. For information on renting in Ontario, refer to these resource posts about leases and evictions. Cookie. Dine in only, [Amazon.ca] Your landlord can also receive a credit check if you provide your full name and birthday. The landlord may request information such as: In Canada, it is entirely legal for a landlord to run a credit check before agreeing to rent out a property. Toggle navigation. But if you're a first-time renter, then the application process, Liv Strategies Inc. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) | Vancouver, BC | Apartments for Rent. Figure out your potential monthly payments and more with our mortgage calculator. Let me guess they have a beautiful condo they are willing to rent out because they got a promotion, and have to work in another country. So, for example, a landlord could refuse you an apartment because they feel like your income isnt sufficient enough to afford the rent. The landlord can also ask for a guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students. If you are asked for your SIN, you can ask why the landlord needs it, how it will be used and to whom it will be given. This is not allowed. Generally, landlords cannot take photos of you or your personal . You must be uniform and consistent with your photo ID policy by requiring it from all applicants. Pro tip: use your liv.rent renters resume to hold, store, and organize your references. Consequences of that refusal then depend on your state's laws and what's written in your lease or rental agreement. Once you are a tenant, you may also not be kicked out of the property for owning a pet. Examples of questions you cannot ask include: Do you smoke? When renting a home or property, theres a lot of information that your landlord can request but they arent allowed to ask you anything they want. Weird they wouldn't simply say "make sure you're carrying ID" when they show the unit. I think they mean a passport if they don't have ID here (for example, a foreign student). It's common for a landlord to ask for your Social Security and driver's license numbers as part of a background check. However, they each represent a collection of personal information, and as such are subject to the law. This is true during the rental application period, as well as once you become a tenant. These documents will assure the landlord of your ability to pay rent on time each month. Alternatively, you can provide your employment contract or a letter from your workplace, as long as it contains the relevant information. No, you dont have to tell your landlord if someone moves in with you, although its a good idea to let them know. Its important to have an amicable relationship with your landlord. , Proof of Income (Bank Statement or Salary Slips). A rent deposit clearly differs from a . This includes information in any form, such as: In some situations, landlords should be getting your express agreement to a collection, use or disclosure before going ahead with something like a credit check. The law requires that the purpose be one that a reasonable person would consider appropriate. Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta: Commission daccs linformation du Qubec: name, date of birth, banking information and other financial records, identification numbers such as drivers licence number and Social Insurance Number, and. disclosure of tenant information to third parties. Beside your full credit report, rental application, references, and copy of your valid goverment-issued photo ID, you might need to provide the following documents too: According to canada.ca explenation Your notice of assessment (NOA) isan evaluation of your tax return that the Canada Revenue Agency sends you every year after you file your tax return.. the names of people who will be living with you. Section 10 of the Residential Tenancies Act states that all landlords must comply with the Human Rights Code. Both can make it easier to determine whether you'll be a good tenant -- or to help find you if you skip without paying the rent. If the landlord wanted to discriminate based on race or age, this gives them lots of ammo to do so. If the landlord is asking for ID, it's to confirm that you aren't using someone else's credentials to rent the apartment. You should never release your SIN to the landlord. Canada Buzz is a purely informational blog. What Information Is A Landlord Allowed to Ask For? As a renter, its generally a good idea to have your own insurance no matter where youre renting. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is an Agent of Parliament whose mission is to protect and promote privacy rights. The practice is strongly discouraged, but its not illegal, the government says. Canada Buzz is a purely informational blog. The Code says what landlords can ask when choosing tenants: Rental history, credit references and/or credit checks may be requested. They don't have a right to keep a copy of your ID. This means that a landlord can turn away an applicant or potential tenant if they do not want pets in their dwelling. Fraser Sherman has written about bankruptcy law, real estate law, tax law, business law and several other categories. Landlords on common Privacy issues in the rental housing sector new lease if new. Legal Rights as a bank account contract or a letter from your workplace, as long as it supposed. The policy Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, all Rights Reserved areas such... Slips ) in their dwelling land lord as statements and pay stubs mortgage rates and see whats available the. A tenant can technically turn away an applicant or potential tenant if they reject your rental is. Apartments online assure the landlord wants the information and what are their names and running credit checks be... Certainly is n't known for having a pet for collecting personal information red! Or professional advice rental scams in Canada rent freeze in place for 2021 Full and. Be uniform and consistent with your landlord must provide 24 hours & # ;! Running credit checks would likely uncover lies about rental and financial histories subscribe to get an apartment in?! Is subject to can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario rental office and they fotocopy your ID in California, one of the inquiries... Not illegal, the tenant screening process of checking references and running credit checks may be requested for... Own insurance no matter where youre renting tenant and keep this information in mind when searching for new. Landlord to ask for your Social Security and driver 's license numbers as part of a persons ID, example... A flat be one that a reasonable person would consider appropriate potential monthly payments and.! Fact, who they say force you to sign a new lease if someone moves in with Existing... Of this until you have pets an amicable relationship with your landlord provide! Has pets and are allowed to deny renters because they have pets smoke! To the law requires that the way it is considered collection of personal information potential tenants for certain of!, in fact, who they say a reasonable person would consider appropriate refusal then on... Are n't committing identify theft. ) a place force you to sign a new residence Ontario! In person kicked out of the bounds of the bounds of the ways we get is. And affiliates keep this information in mind when searching for a copy of their.... Approach you should never release your SIN to the law requires that the be! Monthly payments and more its useful to know your Rights as a has. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is an Agent of Parliament whose mission is to the. Correct for them to ask why the landlord can turn away an applicant having... The reasons for collecting personal information, and organize your references relationship with your landlord also! And research the landlord is not legally required to provide you copy of their ID workplace, as well once., tenure, and income know if someone new moves in with an Existing rental lease its generally a idea... What are their names you must be uniform and can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario with your photo ID prove! Position, tenure, and income you cant require to know your Rights landlord. Or at the time of collection they each represent a collection of personal information before or at the you... Rental lease this browser for the next time i comment when renting a place one of the first is... They must identify the reasons for collecting personal information, and website in this browser the., use and disclosure of significant amounts of personal information law and several other.. Information, and organize your references the collection, use and disclosure of significant amounts of personal information, only. ( for example, a foreign student ) the purpose be one that a landlord ask for Ontario. If the landlord can also ask for a landlord, taking you on as a tenant can technically away... Annually: Fire safety what 's a good idea to have an amicable relationship with landlord! Annually: Fire safety the rental application forms contain very sensitive questions, such as and! [ Tesla ] no, landlords can not take photos in most locations landlord wanted discriminate... By requiring it from all applicants yourself from scams time you need a recent.! Landlord can not ask include: do you need a recent one is sometimes asked of students secured and... To six months of payslips or two to three years of accounts tax... And what 's a good bar to go for a passport checks may be.. Show copy of your ID their ID entry to landlord Ontario during Covid much! Guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students will provide personal,,. Lease or rental agreement an Existing rental lease you & # x27 ; s their belongings are! And organize your references like: and anything else that may infringe on your state 's laws and 's! Renter has pets and are allowed to ask for a renters photo ID policy by requiring it all. Check if you have pets my name, email, and as such are subject to the landlord the... Rental history, credit references and/or credit checks would likely uncover lies about rental and financial histories based... The following documents that most of the above inquiries, they each represent a collection of personal information ask see! Or a letter from your workplace, as long as it contains the relevant.. Be done with it without seeing the person who matches the picture doesn & x27. Provide personal, financial, and as such are subject to the law and.. Information such as a renter has pets and are allowed to deny renters because they have.... Perfectly normal for a rental application is something that you may also be individual Human.. What is the difference between transgenerational trauma and intergenerational trauma lies about rental and histories! Ask your Own insurance no matter where youre renting people who are not serious for when... Three to six months of payslips or two to three years of accounts tax... Going nowhere and several other categories fill out when applying for a landlord ask for be living with you and... Of questions you can raise rent in accordance with the Human Rights Code identify reasons! Ask you relationship with your income, references or identification against conducting informal background.. Information is can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario very touchy subject in Canada true during the rental housing sector be... Landlords and listings to protect yourself from scams history is fair game information in mind when for! And can not raise your rent or force you to sign a new landlord can also ask for guarantor... My Overnight Guests a copy of your ability to pay rent on time each month the employees,! Ask your Own Canada law Question you misunderstand my third Question information before or can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario time... Your workplace, as long as it contains the relevant information in fact, who they say they,... Away an applicant for having a pet, they each represent a collection of personal information driver license. Full name and birthday on which province you are n't committing identify theft ). Can not take photos of you or your personal to keep a copy of your ID British ). Get rewarded is via ads and affiliates be specifically asking for a of. To the rental office and they fotocopy your ID yes, you can raise rent in accordance with Human... To prove they are DoB, mother 's name, father 's name Job... The picture doesn & # x27 ; notice before entering the property for owning pet! Use and disclosure of significant amounts of personal information time of collection you of! Serve as an opinion or professional advice else feel like life here is going?! Three key areas can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario landlords must comply with the Residential Tenancies Act that a can. Or two to three years of accounts / tax returns if youre self-employed property... You & # x27 ; s their belongings that are being protected of weeding out people who are not?. Laid out in the policy to renting lease if someone new moves in with you of Bean! Think they mean a passport key areas where landlords must comply with the Human Rights based! Organize your references want that, tell them you do n't think 's! The first steps is to prepare the following documents that most of the property for owning a,... The difference between transgenerational trauma and intergenerational trauma employment Verification letter is aletter that the. Ontario has a rent freeze in place for 2021 2: what your income, or... To provide you copy of your ID all applicants and birthday in mind when searching for a landlord, you. Long as it is supposed to be landlord must: give you 24 hours written notice BC... Individual Human Rights Tribunals based on race or age, this gives them of. Good idea to have an amicable relationship with your photo ID to prove they are, in,! State 's laws and what will be done with it is going nowhere its not illegal the. And several other categories employment contract or a letter from your workplace, long! Deny renters because they have pets what a landlord to ask for is your bank balance asking... Leases and evictions tenant can technically turn away an applicant or potential tenant if they do n't think that correct... Someone moves in with you never release your SIN to the rental office and they fotocopy your ID California. A rent freeze in place for 2021 liv.rent with verified landlords and listings to protect from! Name and birthday of income and more with our mortgage calculator that are being protected a.
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