Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California
landlords right to personal information: Rental Applications
On a recent apartment application, along with the usual job and previous
address information, one management company was asking for the following:
- Photocopy of Drivers Lic
- Photocopy of Social Security Cards
- Name and account of Major Credit card
- Checking/Savings Bank Account number
- Copies of tax return if self employed
Is all this information gathering legal? Can the decline renting if you don't
provide some of this information?
Thank you.
Will
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: landlords right to personal information: Rental Applications
California law provides that tax returns are private. Having represented some landlords and many tenants, landlords have to have a way to protect themselves if tenants skip out on paying rent. Usually they'd charge a fee for a credit report and get the prospective tenant to sign an application. Credit card numbers really aren't relevant, but bank account and job info certainly is, especially if the landlord wants to collect if the tenant doesn't pay, and also to show that the tenant is financially stable.
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