Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Re: renters check

Yes. You can also refuse. You can even ask the landlord to show you his in return. (Neither is likely to help you get accepted as a tenant, however.)

Asking for bank statements is one way a prospective landlord might use to verify that the prospective tenant is financially solid. It's kind of a cheapie, primitive method, because having big numbers on your bank statements doesn't always equate to paying your bills on time. However, it's cheaper and perhaps easier than paying for a credit report.

There's nothing illegal about asking, but if it's part of a way to discriminate based on some protected category (race, age, etc.) then it could be evidence of illegal discrimination.