can a landlord ask for photo id in ontario

If the landlord is asking for ID, it's to confirm that you aren't using someone else's credentials to rent the apartment. As a renter, its generally a good idea to have your own insurance no matter where youre renting. The law requires that the purpose be one that a reasonable person would consider appropriate. Some landlords may also ask for your drivers license, passport, employer, income and expenses on a rental application. 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. [Tesla] Not only can a landlord ask for photo identification, they should. We may alter brand placements on our website to amplify our partners and their offers. For more information regarding the Ontario Human Rights Code, see ohrc.on.ca. Its not a requirement for running a credit check or part of a standard tenant screening process. SIN number (optional to provide this, it helps them to run credit checks). You don't have to provide that ID but he doesn't have to rent you the apartment either. Toggle navigation. Most landlords and referencing agencies require tenants to provide bank statements as proof of income and rent payments. Complete honesty is the only approach you should take to renting. In this article, were going to go over the most popular questions that renters (including first-time renters) have about the rental process. It is an extra one that some have tried to collect in case of damage. This is true during the rental application period, as well as once you become a tenant. Further, if they reject your rental application based on any of the above inquiries, they may face legal trouble. You're entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. 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. While this is not recommended, there is no law preventing private-sector organizations, including landlords, from asking for your SIN for other purposes such as identification (though they cannot require it). 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. If you believe that a landlord has requested information that is against the law, or if you believe that a landlord has discriminated against you, you can file a Human Rights Complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Canada. 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. Any information regarding your marital status, family status, or sexual orientation, Your race, ethnic background, or religion. Yes, you can require renters insurance as long as there is a condition in your lease that states as such. You cannot deny entry into your rental unit to a landlord, authorized broker or salesperson if you received a Notice of Entry. In general, the conduct of individuals who are not collecting, using or disclosing personal information for commercial purposes is not covered under Canadian privacy laws. In other situations, such as capturing your image on a security camera, it may be reasonable to rely on your implied consent. This is why we have created a list of necessary documents that every California landlord needs to keep in an easy to find file.10 Most Important California Landlord Documents to Keep On Hand. 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. 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. They may also use your bank account to extract missing rent payments. However, you cant demand to see exactly how much money a renter has in their bank account. In these cases, you are under no obligation to provide your SIN. They've asked for a picture too, but that doesn't help much. (TermsofUse,PrivacyPolicy, Manage Consent, Do Not Sell My Data). Opinions expressed on this blog are NOT endorsed by the reviewed brands. Your email address will not be published. Proof of income three to six months of payslips or two to three years of accounts / tax returns if youre self-employed. 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. So, just because you have a new landlord doesnt mean they can raise the rent. Also a landlord cannot demand postdated cheques. Required fields are marked *. The landlord must also make a reasonable effort to ensure that you understand how the information will be used or disclosed. This helps them verify that you actually have a bank account and youre able to cover the rent. references from past landlords. Most of the time you need a recent one. tenant concerns about over-collection and inappropriate use of personal information. What Information Is A Landlord Allowed to Ask For? Ask Your Own Canada Law Question You misunderstand my third question. Other things in 1 (like age) are also big red flags for me. Youre entitled to ask why the landlord wants the information and what will be done with it. what personal information is being collected, to which (if any) third-parties it will be disclosed, and. British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec have provincial private sector laws that apply to landlords in those provinces. Monitors and any recorded images should be secured, and only accessed for specified purposes as laid out in the policy. To meet their obligations under PIPEDA, landlords should post signs and distribute policies that clearly explain, for example, how footage will be used and when it will be accessed. Pay stubs. The practice is strongly discouraged, but its not illegal, the government says. "It is illegal for a landlord to demand or to collect a rent deposit of more than one month, or if it is less, then one rental period". Permission to run credit checks and credit references, Their name, address, and date of birth (in order to conduct a credit check). But thats only for buildings built before November 15, 2018. Also, ask where a "regular guest" was defined in the lease so that you can better understand her response. 6- Copy of valid government-issued photo ID (s) You need to show at least a piece valid government-issued photo ID to the landlord or the real estate agent, such as Drivers's License , State issued photo ID , Passport. This law is current as of 2021. Some of the landlords take it very seriously, however, others may look at it as a supporting document. 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. if you work, and where you work. It's not written on lease. It's is needed to run credit and background checks. Your email address will not be published. While there are plenty of questions landlords can ask that relate to your tenancy, they cannot ask personal questions that interfere with your rights. I wouldn't send any of this until you have seen the apartment and meet the landlord in person. If you are applying for more than one adult, The landlord may want to see everyones job letter. Is the Economist Intelligence Unit credible? For more information, see our resources on privacy and Social Insurance Numbers. Your landlord can also receive a credit check if you provide your full name and birthday. 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. A credit check will give the prospective landlord information about your ability to pay the rent. My wife and I responded to a for rent ad on Kijiji. A Complete Neighbourhood Guide for Moving to Thornhill. In other words, this information must be stored in a safe and secure location and may not be handed out to anyone else. What documents do I need to provide for referencing check? Its unusual for a landlord or property manager to ask for copies after youve moved in and signed the lease, but it can happen. the names of people who will be living with you. Choosing a tenant is a big decision and requires due diligence. They should ensure that these purposes are limited to what a reasonable person would consider appropriate under the circumstances. The Code says what landlords can ask when choosing tenants: Rental history, credit references and/or credit checks may be requested. For more information regarding the Ontario Human Rights Code, see ohrc.on.ca. Is it standard for owner to ask for a copy of passport/ID before showing the unit? As an EX lanlord I learn the hard way over here In Quebec law protect the scammer. 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. This information should only be used for completing the application process to verify income or perform a credit check. What is the most livable city in the world 2021? Lying or misrepresenting yourself on a rental application is not legal. Privacy law does not prevent such requests. 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. Asking about a persons age, disabilities, religion, sexual orientation, place of origin, family status or gender expression are considered personal questions that interfere with their rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code. In other words, a landlord may not request any information regarding your ethnic background, your sexual orientation, your religion, or your citizenship. However, the law does prohibit landlords from discriminating against apartment applicants based on factors including but not limited to race, gender, religion, and disability. Pets is a weird one when it comes to condos. So while a tenant can technically turn away an applicant for having a pet, they legally arent supposed to. Since the driver's license is a valid photo identification, it can familiarize the personnel with the building's occupants. Pro tip: use your liv.rent renters resume to hold, store, and organize your references. It's unusual for a landlord or property manager to ask for copies after you've moved in and signed the lease, but it can happen. Landlords should not collect more information than they need for the stated purpose, and should not keep it for longer than necessary. Are you looking to rent/lease a place in Toronto or a city in Ontario? In other words, a landlord cannot refuse your pets in Ontario. You can, however, refuse to hand over confidential information. In your application, you will be requested to share certain information with the landlord. Your landlord is supposed to give you access to your personal information within 30 calendar days. Landlord Protection Agency: Ten Stupid Things That Landlords Do, Nolo.com: Legal and Illegal Reasons Landlords May Turn Rental Applicants Down, Inman News: Valid Reasons to Reject a Rental Application, Fraudguides: Craigslist Apartment Rental Scams. No. However, they are prohibited from answering personal questions that may infringe on your human rights. The landlord can also ask for a guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students. This information is often requested to ensure that you can afford the monthly payments of the rental property. Applying For A Rental In Ontario Part 4: How Do I Fill Out A Rental Application? contact us They can reveal a lot about how you live your life. 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. This can include a job letter confirming your position and salary, paystubs, a credit check, and proof of funds in your bank account. With that being said though, they ca. Its reasonable to expect landlords to ask potential tenants for certain types of personal information like proof of income, references or identification. 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. Yes, but you should only use an applicant's photo ID to verify his or her identity and/or to check on criminal history, rental history, or credit history. Its equally important to know what you cant ask for on a rental application. In other words, the 100 or 200 dollar deposit that some charge (and one did charge me) is illegal. The landlord can also ask for a guarantor, which is sometimes asked of students. Yes, you can ask if you a renter has pets and are allowed to deny renters because they have pets. Sign up for free or download the app. Is the Economist Intelligence Unit credible? What is the Amazon Channels Charge on Your Credit Card? Again, you are not legally required to provide this information, though it may affect the landlords willingness to rent to you. Prior to signing, a pet deposit or monthly pet fee can be discussed with the landlord and negotiated. Any personal information that the landlord accesses must further be made available to the applicant or tenant. Plus, the tenant screening process of checking references and running credit checks would likely uncover lies about rental and financial histories. A provision in a tenancy agreement prohibiting the presence of animals in or about the residential complex is void. This means that any tenancy agreement provided to you that prohibits animals in your living space, is void. To be honest I would skip out on this one, the red flags are waving. Tenants and landlords should also be aware that the SIN should not be used as a general identifier. Canada Buzz is a purely informational blog. 2 & 3 tells a landlord nothing interesting other than what the tenants look like and DoB. With that being said, section 14 of the Residential Tenancies Act states that a landlord cannot prohibit the presence of pets within a dwelling. Part 2: What do you need when applying for a rental? 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. In other areas, such as BC (British Columbia), landlords may request . A credit report has a credit score which could be a number from 300(very poor) to 900(Excellent). The rent is normal for the area. Can landlord ask for bank statements Ontario? Weve rounded up the Best life in Canada, with the best promotions, and the best sign-up bonuses, to help you maximize your benefits. That is your option. Other laws may apply to some situations. Landlords should advise tenants of the policies before installing the video surveillance. They may ask to see: an employment contract or letter from your employer. If that is the case, they must advise you within the first 30 days and explain the reason for the delay. +91-9879950702 Monday - Friday 10:00 - 7:30 Rakhiyal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat . If you have nothing to hide I'm not sure what the big deal is since there's not much that can be done with just a copy. Is a landlord normally supposed to ask for photocopies of all my pieces of ID? No, landlords cannot see how much money is in your bank account. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All of that is fine (goes to identity verification) except for age & pets. What a Landlord cannot ask for: Landlords are able to ask a variety of questions that relate to your tenancy. This could be a common rental scam. For users logging in via Facebook. How to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada? Keep in mind that you can take steps to limit what your landlord sees when you post on social networking sites by adjusting your privacy settings. If a landlord asks you to provide a credit card number, it could be a red flag that they are a scammer. The most basic tenancy agreement for an AST must include: Theres no set credit score necessary to rent an apartment or house; the criteria for approval will vary depending on the property, location, landlord and other factors. Here we go again with stupid landlord stuff for me. Kareena Maya is a freelance writer focused on the personal finance and travel spaces. Your rental history. What rental expenses are tax deductible for Canadian landlords? Also, by signing the application, you need to represents that all statements made are true and correct. [Cora] Required fields are marked *. Can a landlord ask for a copy of your ID in California? In most states, landlords can include a question about whether the applicant has previously been convicted of a crime. If a landlord requests any information pertaining to the above mentioned topics, you should not answer. Technically, collecting information in this fashion falls under The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and should be done with care. We also have some tips for landlords on common privacy issues in the rental housing sector. No. There's bad land lords, but there's even worse tenants, which is why both parties feel the need to protect themselves. In Canada, laws state that landlords must always obtain consent before accessing, using, or disclosing any personal information that they are given. Can landlord ask for proof of income Ontario? Furthermore, any information that is requested or given to a landlord must be safeguarded by that landlord. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is an Agent of Parliament whose mission is to protect and promote privacy rights. Sign up now. Who will be living with you and what are their names? 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. A subreddit for people to submit questions to Torontonians and about Toronto and receive constructive responses. Looking for the right auto insurance plan? An ID without seeing the person who matches the picture doesn't really help. There had been quite a bit of fraud been going around where people were defrauding people. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Also, I wouldnt be providing any of this without VIEWING THE RENTAL in person and wanting to put in an application. Yes, for residential units occupied before November 15, 2018, you can raise rent in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act. 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. Proof of current address a recent utility or council tax bill. Are you local or inquiring from out of town? Why doesn't the TTC have security guards? Get updates about the OPCs announcements and activities, as well as the events in which we participate. If your landlord requires a background check, we can help you quickly and affordably obtain one. Have you been arrested? In Ontario a secruity amount is illegal. Seeing that photocopying all the ID for him is correct, what I am really against now is his change of words. What information do I need to give to a new tenant? A landlord can ask questions related to the tenancy so long as they don't . This is part of a landlords tenant screening process to ensure that the applicant is financially fit to rent. Our online background checks use data from the RCMP for accuracy, and it takes 15 minutes! I think it is weird. photographs and video recordings about an identifiable individual. For details about other laws that apply to rental issues, please see Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations Renting in Canada information. Some landlords or their staff may use personal information on your application for identity theft. When you want to rent an apartment or house, you usually need to fill out an application or give some information to the landlord. Yes, they can. 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. So, its up to the tenant to agree to that condition. I would avoid if you can. One of the first steps is to prepare the following documents that most of the Landlords or their real estate agents are looking for. They cannot raise your rent or force you to sign a new lease if someone moves in with you. Send landlord a picture of Mister Bean's passports. Yes, you can request a credit check to see a renters history of making payments and gauge their financial reliability as a renter. state what day and time they will enter (between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.). Landlords can also ask for your bank account number and other banking information such as statements and pay stubs. Join the Financial Literacy Train. Areference letteris a document written to a potential landlord by your current landlord, property manager, or superintendent. In Ontario, rents can be raised up to the maximum allowable increase either 12 months after the last rent increase or the start date of the tenancy. 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. This law is current as of 2021. That way, theyre always available to you when youre ready to apply for a rental. [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. They are responsible for ensuring the personal information is protected by appropriate safeguards. Your email address will not be published. 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.