Rental Application Form Seeks Too Much Info

Maryn · Jun 4, 2009

Our son is seeking his own apartment before the lease on his shared apartment ends. He doesn't earn much, but he's got a steady work history and good credit. Shouldn't be a problem if he can find a cheap enough place--not easy where he lives.

Yesterday he applied at one possibility but was taken aback by the information he was supposed to fill out on the rental application form. Not only did they want his Social Security Number, bank name and address plus all account numbers, but they wanted current balances in all accounts--and his credit card type and number, including the extra security number on the back. He refused to supply that and was told that without it, he would not get the apartment.

Even though he's a lawyer, Mr. Maryn wasn't sure if this was illegal or merely highly unethical. He's checking into New York state law today, if he gets a chance. (Much of his day is apparently assigned to team building, which involves activities no one wants to do, alone or together.)

Those of you who have rented apartments or houses in recent years, especially in the US and especially-especially in the state of New York, has it become the norm to provide this level of information? It just seems to open the door to fraudulent credit card use or even identity theft.

Maryn, whose kid is learning to swim by jumping in the deep end

brainstorm77 · Jun 4, 2009

Before I bought my house I encountered one rental company who asked for my social insurance number and a whole lot of other info. When he started to ask me these questions for the application, I politely told him I would not supply this information and I was no longer interested in the apartment.

Wayne K · Jun 4, 2009

You would be amazed what Albany was busy doing in this area Maryn.

I like to rent, but in the past few years the business has become tough. I won't give my personal information to anyone anymore. It personal. Besides, your SS number can't be used for identification--why does anyone but but your employer need it?

Button · Jun 4, 2009

I've rented for the last 10 years. Not once was I asked for a credit card number and I would never give it out on an application. There's no reason for them to have it, and they don't need to know how much I actually have in my bank account. They don't need my account numbers at all. I'm pretty sure asking for such information on an application has to be nearly illegal.

All they need is my credit history, if that. All my previous locations, I've collected reference letters, with phone numbers, and that's usually all the people I rent from need.

Pamster · Jun 4, 2009

Credit card NUMBERS including that code on the back are used for what purpose? FRAUD...PERIOD. That simply cannot be legal, if it is it will only INCREASE credit card fraud, don't they KNOW that? That's just insane! Now we had to tell them what was left in the bank acct. and give that number, WHY I don't know, I didn't like it but they wouldn't even consider us without it for this apartment. It's just wrong IMO. I can't believe that they think they have any right to know that credit card info, that's ridiculous!

rhymegirl · Jun 4, 2009

I think most potential employers/business institutions ask for way too much info these days. They're getting way too personal.

My joke when I discuss it with my sisters is: Do they want to see my birthmark and moles, too?

zanizh · Jun 4, 2009

There's a catch 22 when it comes to this sort of thing. People are not obligated to give out their social security numbers but when it comes to possible future landlords checking your credit history, it's necessary, just like it would be necessary to provide a loan officer such information. It is NOT necessary for renters to provide all bank account information. After all, this isn't a monetary loan, just a temporary housing loan. The credit card info (maybe not the numbers but the balance; I don't remember) can be seen on a credit report.

James81 · Jun 4, 2009

Are you sure that this particular place doesn't require that the rent come out automatically each month?

Button · Jun 4, 2009

James81 said:
Are you sure that this particular place doesn't require that the rent come out automatically each month?

Even if this were the case, why would you put it on the application? I'd want to know I actually could get into the apartment before I gave them any information where they can take money out of my accounts.

There's the same problem with a lot of work at home jobs that come up. You'd see 'employers' asking you to pay a background check before you've even had an interview, or were promised the job pending the background check. We pin those as scams. I don't consider this much different, they want too much from you in order to get to level two.

KCathy · Jun 4, 2009

It's pretty common around here to check credit history before renting, but even with our mediocre credit, my husband and I don't usually have any trouble. It helps that former landlords LOVE us and rave about it when new landlords call to check.

Last time we applied for a place, though, at a private owner's second residence, he told us that our credit score was too iffy, and that he would rent to us if we just supplied printouts of our last three bank statements. Uhhh. How 'bout NO? I couldn't imagine how meddlesome a next door neighbor who owned our home would be in day-to-day dealings if our relationship started like that.

Kathleen42 · Jun 4, 2009

This doesn't sound legit to me.

I'm Canadian but I don't think things woudl differ that greatly.

I recently moved and had to provide information for one bank account because the company preferred rent payments be withdrawn directly from the account. They were also doing a credit check and I had the option of proving my social insurance number to speed the process.

They did not ask for current balances or credit card numbers and, to be honest,. I woudl not have been comfortable providing them with that information. The only reason I provided them with as much as I did was that they are a fairly larger, well known group which own many buildings in the province I reside in.

Clair Dickson · Jun 4, 2009

That doesn't sound right to me, either.

Unless the company is trying to save money by not paying for a credit report... but that raises other flags for me.

To be honest, Maryn, I didn't have to hand over that sort of information when I got my mortgage (and they did want to check moles and birthmarks... ;-) Credit cards show up on the credit report. They have no reason to request the numbers from the back of the card as the SECURITY numbers are only for USE of the card and have nothing to do with checking the account.

Time to score a copy of the application and compare it with state law/ the cops to see if these folks are on the up and up.

Crime writer hat on: maybe they skim off the applicants who they don't lease to... it'd be too obvious if they did it to leasees as there'd be a clear connection. Hmmm. Plot bunny!

Pagey's_Girl · Jun 4, 2009

James81 said:
Are you sure that this particular place doesn't require that the rent come out automatically each month?

They still wouldn't need all that information for that. All they need for the authorization is the number of the bank account you want the rent deducted from and a signed form for the bank - after you sign the lease.

I could see them wanting to run a credit check, but they wouldn't need credit card numbers and security codes for that - although they would need the SSN. Something's not right there at all.

Maryn · Jun 4, 2009

Thanks, everyone. Your instincts mirror ours. We suspected the SSN might be needed to run a credit check, but we could not come up with any legitimate reason to provide the information needed to use a credit card when applying. If they run a credit check, they're going to get his card number, so he should not have to provide it--and certainly should not provide the security number on the reverse. Scammy, scummy, shady, wrong.

I find myself not wanting him to rent from these people based on that alone.

Maryn, who can't stop momming

darkprincealain · Jun 4, 2009

I'm a little late to the party, but I've mostly rented in Missouri and have been asked all of that stuff, except for the credit card info. Definitely something fishy going on, here.

I have only ever been asked this stuff from the big management companies who have to prove their tenants make under a certain income level in order to qualify for certain government grants. Could this be an attempt to give people a laundry list of things to fill out, (maybe they don't even need this stuff) only to put at the bottom the one thing they are after?

KCathy · Jun 4, 2009

Maryn, who can't stop momming

Eh, you're supposed to. Maybe you're not holding the bike seat while they pedal anymore, but you're definitely allowed to adjust the seat and tighten the gear chain when they ask. ;-)

Sweetleaf · Jun 4, 2009

I don't know american law, but as a (former) banker, I wouldn't even need all that to give someone a mortgage. The only reason I can think that they would want c/card details is so they can charge his credit card if he doesn't pay the rent and avoid taking him to court.

Storm Dream · Jun 4, 2009

At the last two places I've rented, I've had to provide the SS# and my past three pay stubs (to prove my income, I guess) OR bank statements. Wasn't about to give them the bank statements, so I let them see the pay stubs.

I've never heard of anyone demanding the security numbers on a credit card, though. That does sound fishy to me.

Carole · Jun 5, 2009

rhymegirl said:
I think most potential employers/business institutions ask for way too much info these days. They're getting way too personal.

My joke when I discuss it with my sisters is: Do they want to see my birthmark and moles, too?

I agree. And they get away with it because too many people assume that they couldn't ask something if it were illegal or unethical to ask. With my new job, I encountered lots of questions that I refused to answer. Fortunately, I got the job because a friend referred me so the paperwork was a formality. I just left that stuff blank.

Namatu · Jun 5, 2009

I once received a similar application for an apartment and decided not to hand over the info. They don't need it. There are lots of other apartments out there that will do a credit and reference check and leave it at that. What are they doing with the paperwork once you submit it? Is it kept under lock and key? Is it entered into a secure, Fort Knox-like computer? Or is it filed away in an unlocked cabinet for any schmoe to poke through?

Keep financial data private!

Honalo · Jun 5, 2009

Did you try doing a search under this company's name to see what comes up - if there had been complaints filed against it?
It doesn't make sense - the rental place obviously has people living under their roof - or has placed people - so others have forked over this information without getting burned by credit fraud, etc. It sounds as though the company's been burned by less than scrupulous renters who may have left without paying what they owed.

Even so, I agree - everyone wants too much info nowadays. You can't buy a pot holder without someone asking for your phone number

Pagey's_Girl · Jun 5, 2009

Carole said:
I agree. And they get away with it because too many people assume that they couldn't ask something if it were illegal or unethical to ask. With my new job, I encountered lots of questions that I refused to answer. Fortunately, I got the job because a friend referred me so the paperwork was a formality. I just left that stuff blank.

I've noticed that with job interviews lately, too. I always thought they weren't supposed to ask about things like marital status and children, but I've gotten questioned closely about both on the last several I've been on. (Yes, I'm looking for a better job, even in this economy. The place I'm at now has a reputation for not keeping administrative staff for more than a year or two, and it's been a year...)

robeiae · Jun 5, 2009

I ordered an Egg Mcmuffin this morning and had to produce an affidavit that I was not currently under indictment in any State to get it. Eh. No biggie.

sunna · Jun 5, 2009

Pagey's_Girl said:
I've noticed that with job interviews lately, too. I always thought they weren't supposed to ask about things like marital status and children, but I've gotten questioned closely about both on the last several I've been on.

You were asked that in an interview???

My ass would be out the door about 30 minutes after the interview if I did something like that.

Maryn, I've been renting for most of the last decade, in four different states, and while I wouldn't think anything of a potential landlord wanting to run a criminal history and credit check, if any one of them had asked me for credit card and bank account numbers I'd not only have told them to go to hell, I'd have lodged a complaint with whatever local association/authority I could find that kept track of those things. There's no good reason to ask for that information from a tennant. It sounds suspicious to me.

Rental Application Form Seeks Too Much Info

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