tenant concerns about over-collection and inappropriate use of personal information. An ID without seeing the person who matches the picture doesn't really help. Landlords and property managers have a lawful purpose to collect information about a rental property when they carry out a property inspection. Most of the agents and Landlords prefer the Equifaxcredit report. Part 1: Whats A Standard Rental Application? In Canada, it is entirely legal for a landlord to run a credit check before agreeing to rent out a property. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html. These are what you fill out if you want to be considered to rent a specific property, be it a condominium, an apartment, a house, or another type of dwelling. 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. What documents do I need to provide for referencing check? Airbnb vs. renting: which is more profitable for landlords? If you are applying for more than one adult, The landlord may want to see everyones job letter. This could be a common rental scam. Many landlords will ask you to complete an application form before they will rent an apartment or house to you. Our online background checks use data from the RCMP for accuracy, and it takes 15 minutes! The landlord must identify the purpose prior to, or at the time of, collection, and also obtain your consent. 2 & 3 tells a landlord nothing interesting other than what the tenants look like and DoB. Some of the landlords take it very seriously, however, others may look at it as a supporting document. Toronto certainly isn't known for having the cheapest rent in Canada. What Kind of Questions Can a Landlord Ask? Rental Tip: Documenting condition to avoid disputes. You're entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. Can we ask the landlord for a copy of their driver's license and proof of ownership? What information do I need to give to a new tenant? 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. What is the most livable city in the world 2021? Pets is a weird one when it comes to condos. Yes, for residential units occupied before November 15, 2018, you can raise rent in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act. Read more about your legal rights as landlord for renters with pets. Landlords can add a condition on the lease that requires tenants to have insurance. The landlords details including their service address. Canada Buzz is an advertising-supported blog. Are you local or inquiring from out of town? To run a credit check, the landlord would need, at a minimum: Some landlords may also ask for your drivers license, passport, employer, income and expenses on a rental application. Note: Ontario has a rent freeze in place for 2021. In other words, a landlord cannot refuse your pets in Ontario. As mentioned only first and last months rent. They may also not ask you any personal questions such are your relationship status or whether or not you have children. This time one is asking for me to photocopy all my ID. Can a landlord refuse a showing in Toronto? 03:06. They cant serve as an opinion or professional advice. There are some very specific circumstances under which the organization may require an extension of up to 30 additional days. Get the latest financial information delivered right to your inbox. You're entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. Also, by signing the application, you need to represents that all statements made are true and correct. Keeping a photo of a persons ID, for example, is subject to the law as it is considered collection of personal information. What is the cheapest and safest country to retire? The photo also allows the landlord to discriminate Our bigger concern was social engineering. To be honest I would skip out on this one, the red flags are waving. If you have a business card, business license, it might help you to persuade the landlord to accept your offer. Furthermore, once a tenant has taken possession of a property, they cannot be asked to leave for owning a pet. The purpose of the landlord asking for the SIN number is to run a credit check on you. A credit report has a credit score which could be a number from 300(very poor) to 900(Excellent). 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. #375 - 20 Eglinton Avenue EToronto, ONM4P 1A6. [Read Full Bio], Your email address will not be published. Freelance writer specializing in personal finance and travel content, Cost of Living for International Students, condominium, an apartment, a house, or another type of dwelling, file a Human Rights Complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Canada, 20 Computer Desks for Canadian Consumers: A Buyers Guide, Navigating the Canadian Loan Landscape: A Guide to Borrowing Money in 2023. We may alter brand placements on our website to amplify our partners and their offers. contact us Next step is they might ask you for a deposit before you can see the unit to 'show you're serious'. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. how many people will be living with you. Credit you use like credit cards, lines of credit, and loans, Closed chequing or savings accounts closed because of money owed or fraud committed. Don't have an account? Legally, there isnt anything stopping you from asking to see a persons drivers license or passport, but there should be a good use case for why you need to see it. They may also use your bank account to extract missing rent payments. Yes, you can request a credit check to see a renters history of making payments and gauge their financial reliability as a renter. 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. They need to provide individuals with access to the personal information that they hold about them and allow them to challenge its accuracy. This information is not needed for a credit check but may allow the landlord to obtain a more detailed report from organizations that offer credit checks, or to ensure that you are not confused with someone with a similar name and date of birth. When you want to rent an apartment or house, you usually need to fill out an application or give some information to the landlord. Normal. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. ID isnt necessarily strange, but they shouldnt be specifically asking for a passport. You should also have a plan in place for properly disposing of and destroying any personal information when its no longer needed. Applying For A Rental In Ontario Part 1: What's A Standard Rental Application? When looking for an apartment in Ontario, youll often find that landlords request a hefty amount of information from you. Examples of questions you cannot ask include: Do you smoke? Whats in it for us? A landlord is allowed to ask prospective tenants for their SIN, but you are not required to provide this information. Worth noting: you cant ask someone if they smoke, but you can still include in the lease agreement that the property being rented is non-smoking. In Ontario, it is not normal for a landlord to ask for a post-dated check, and the tenant is not under any obligation to provide one if the landlord asks. Other laws may apply to some situations. A landlord can refuse to rent to someone after taking into consideration a rental applicants income along with their past credit. 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. What's the issue unless you have something to hide? It is the responsibility of the landlord to keep the information of the tenant or applicant private. Join us and subscribe to get updates on the Toronto rental market. With that being said though, they ca. can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario. (i.e., that you aren't committing identify theft.). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Join the Financial Literacy Train. So while a tenant can technically turn away an applicant for having a pet, they legally arent supposed to. Avid researcher, freelance writer, and personal finance enthusiast passionate about financial education and literacy. Some organizations ask for the SIN for reasons unrelated to income reporting purposes. 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. 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. Privacy law does not prevent such requests. If you don't get a good answer, you can refuse. Is that the way it is supposed to be? Just signing, agreeing, and the money. 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. They are responsible for ensuring the personal information is protected by appropriate safeguards. can a landlord ask for in Ontario: common questions answered, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, legal rights as landlord for renters with pets, What to do when a condo you are renting out in Ontario is damaged. Yes, you can ask for bank statements to prove the financial situation of a renter. 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. Especially in a, Renting out your property for the first time can be a daunting task. The information provided on this website does not constitute financial or professional advice. 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. For residential units occupied for the first time after November 15, 2018, you can raise rent more than what is allowed by rent control. Landlords who are given access to your personal information are required by law to follow specific guidelines for keeping that information secure. 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. In these cases, you are under no obligation to provide your SIN. You could also consider filing a complaint with the OPC. Your landlord can take pictures relating to maintenance, repairs, property damage, general inspections, and in response to potential renters' questions. Your email address will not be published. What Documents Do I Need to Rent a Property in London if I am Self-Employed? Answer (1 of 6): There is no reason why you can not ask a landlord for ID. Required fields are marked *. They must identify the reasons for collecting personal information before or at the time of collection. A landlord may use this information to assist with credit checks, but there is different information that they can use if providing your SIN makes you uncomfortable.