|
Recently I embarked on a mission to find a new place to rent...Tenancy application for the new place require me to hand out so much personal information it really makes me feel insecure...on the other hand I have no choice but to give these info or else I cannot get a new place to stay...
What they are asking for ?
Passport
Driving License
Pay Slips
Current and previous rental address
Current and previous employer details
Medicare card
Current utility bill
Bank statement
How hard it is for someone to use all those documents I just gave to agent to use for some sinister purpose like taking out a new shiny credit card on my name.. ?
My father-in-law did not ask for such level of details before marrying his daughter to me !!!
What would you do in such situation ? Makes me wonder do they really need all those info to identify me as a genuine renter ? 
Zen and the art of software maintenance : rm -rf *
Maths is like love : a simple idea but it can get complicated.
|
|
|
|
|
Is your future landlord some big rental company? If yes, you are kind of OK - they tend to require way too much paperwork, but it is relatively unlikely for them to abuse your personal information.
|
|
|
|
|
My problem is that paperwork goes to property owner before he/she says OK... and how reliable the ghost of property owner whom you don't see/meet/hear ?
We talk about privacy on the internet but this is literally abuse of the power given to rental agents to get as much info from you as possible in a physical form...
Zen and the art of software maintenance : rm -rf *
Maths is like love : a simple idea but it can get complicated.
|
|
|
|
|
As an owner in Oz, I don't see the paperwork, I am informed of the details but never see the doco. I resides with the agency. I am however appalled at the detail I am supplied by some agencies. Job details, bank holdings and current salary, feels intrusive even from this side.
However I do agree with the level of vetting an agency does, 1 crappy tenant and you can lose a major part of your capital.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
|
|
|
|
|
F'em
They can't assume you have a passport or Medicare card.
They are not allowed to ask for a Driving License (in the U.S.).
|
|
|
|
|
Pay slips or bank statement I can understand... They want to make sure you can afford the rent. Just redact any account numbers.
Addresses make sense... They want to check with your previous landlord to make sure you're alright... Well, current address makes sense... Previous is a bit much.
Passport/license is just so they can make sure you are who you say you are. I assume they just need "Governmnet-issued photo ID" of some sort, not both of those.
As for medicare... That's just none of their business, and depending on where you are, I wonder if it might even violate some discrimination law to even request it...
So I can see how SOME of that is justified, but ALL of it? Bit overboard... I'd steer clear. Might be phishy, if you catch my meaning...
|
|
|
|
|
Medicare is justified if you are a welfare recipient or retired. Again, it all goes to the ability to afford the rent (gross income less medical expenses, etc.).
Previous address is necessary if you happen to move alot. I'm surprised they don't require a drugs test. Landlords here in NZ have been experiencing problems with P users and drug labs.
The difficult may take time, the impossible a little longer.
|
|
|
|
|
Think that's bad wait till you apply for a mortgage. 
Hold my drink and watch this.
|
|
|
|
|
This would also make me nervous. One reason is that despite the assurances they may give the secure storage of the information cannot be guaranteed. It seems however (at least in Western Australia) they are fully entitled by law to do this. http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/atoms/files/rentapplicationform18.pdf[^]
Peter Wasser
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
|
|
|
|
|
I am lending an apartment and demand about that much of paperwork to my tenants. It is not to be inquisitive : it is what information is needed when you want to sue someone - to get back the money they own you if they don't pay you the loan. Of course, these documents are easier to get right from the start - you obviously do not get them once you are already in conflict - that is why they are requested when you rent.
|
|
|
|
|
Way to start a healthy relationship with someone.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
|
|
|
|
|
Lucky that they did not ask for credit card number along with PIN and CVV 
|
|
|
|
|
The only thing needed by the landlord is:
ID Proof
Permanent address proof.
If these guys are asking so much information then I think you should stay clear from them. I smell something fishy here.
|
|
|
|
|
So you can only rent a permanent address if you already have a permanent address and therefore don't actually need to rent one? I'll never get the hang of this real life thing!
|
|
|
|
|
You could ask in turn for their privacy policy, a third party evaluation on their business processes related to your data, a track record on past security breeches, a list of tools and software they employ to protect your personal data, and what each and every bit of data they are asking for is being used for. I'd also ask for a written confirmation they will only be using these data for the purposes pointed out (in the responses to the above questions) and will be erased once they are no longer needed for said purpose, and that they will actively protect your data from third party access.
All very reasonable requests considering the sheer amount of personal information they're asking for.
But let's be more reasonable:
I am thinking these people are just trying to make their task as easy as possible  by asking for every single bit of information that may be required, even if most of the information will be unnecessary in most cases. In my experience, there is a good chance you'll get away with giving just half the information, as long as that half is sufficient for the intended task. (proving you are who you are, and can be relied upon to pay your rent). They can't be serious demanding every single bit, especially since some of these things may not even exist for totally legitimate persons (e. g. lived in your parents house, so no rental address, or always worked for the same employer, so no previous employer; also - but I admit that would be somewhat suspicious in the US - you may not own a drivers license  )
GOTOs are a bit like wire coat hangers: they tend to breed in the darkness, such that where there once were few, eventually there are many, and the program's architecture collapses beneath them. (Fran Poretto)
|
|
|
|
|
But it was always this way. I've always laughed at internet privacy obsessives for this very reason. The fact is that just being born in most Western countries exposes you to the world and his dog. It is as good (or should that be bad?) as impossible to make yourself untraceable given the number of things for which you are 'registered' in modern society. If somebody wants to find you then they will, irrespective of whether you have an Internet presence! When they say the price of freedom is eternal vigilance they mean it! just not necessarily in the way it was intended!
|
|
|
|
|
...after drinking on of those.[^]
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
|
|
|
|
|
CDP1802 wrote: ...after drinking on of those.[^]
I bought one last year to try and also to show to the kids. Tasted like sh*t, even my daughter who likes beer spat it out.
It was selling less than half price a carton a few weeks later. Even that couldn't get me to buy it again.
Michael Martin
Australia
"I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible."
- Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
|
|
|
|
|
Hah hah, Tiger have brought out an orange and a lemon flavoured beer over here, SIL bought 6 by mistake, he has similar tastes to yourself, volume. It almost broke his heart to pour it down the sink. It really was an insult to beer!
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
|
|
|
|
|
Ugh! Fortunately it looks like several different breweries decided to make their beer independently and without any official license. This one here was not bad and probably not the same stuff they sold you half a world away.
At least we have had this[^] for more than 500 years now, to prevent having to drink that kind of beer or some brew that would be green if not generously colored with food colors.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
|
|
|
|
|
Not so yellow as when you would drink this[^]
Yes it exists, yes, I tasted it, no it does NOT taste like anything closely resembling cola. No I would not drink it again  .
That was in Peru, where the locals almost drink it like water. If you would drink a glass (25 ml) of water with 25 teaspoons of sugar, you're not even close at how sweet this stuff tastes... 
but it was an experience 
|
|
|
|
|
|
... Designed the TFS Online UI...
You guys are complete idiots.
SET RANT OFF
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin Marois wrote: ... Designed the TFS Online UI...
You guys are complete idiots.
SET RANT OFF
Don't limit yourself.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
|
|
|
|
|
Agreed
I have no end to issues with this... I REALLLLLY hate this
TFS Online has to be the most counter-productive UI I've ever worked with. If I designed UI's like this I'd be fired.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
