Estate agent wants copies of our passports - is this the norm?

murphaph

I wouldn't let any property without copies of official ID either tbh. The data protection act doesn't just apply to passports folks. It's about any data, so any landlord who has so much as your employer's name would fall under the data protection act (if indeed they do, I'm not so sure about that tbh-anyone got any links to back it up?) but nobody is hopping mad about landlords holding such information.

Yawns

I've just had to track a person down and gotten business and home address along with name of herself and co-directors of a company. All with 30 minutes. Simply using her phone number. This was done easily and with extremely little effort. It was done as she closed up and refused to answer calls about deposits taken and not being returned.

Now imagine being this kind of cow boy LL with your passport details and someone like me comes across them...

murphaph

What can someone do with a (usually black and white) photocopy of a passport? If the information was so dangerous most of us wouldn't get a passport in the first place!

Yawns

They can sign up to services or buy products using a copy of a passport. Some places can require a copy of an ID. So basically identity theft. The type of LL such as this thread has seen will most likely not be too caring about the storing of your passport details.

eyescreamcone

If tenants or landlords don't like the others terms then, both may if they like not sign the contract.

Certainly if someone asked me for proof of ownership then I would not do business. As is my right.

Rasmus

eyescreamcone wrote: »

If tenants or landlords don't like the others terms then, both may if they like not sign the contract.

Certainly if someone asked me for proof of ownership then I would not do business. As is my right.

Why would you refuse to do business if asked to prove ownership?

Vision of Disorder

djimi wrote: »

I trust that a financial institute or the likes will know what they are doing...

We have learned very little as a nation it seems... :eek:

eyescreamcone

Rasmus wrote: »

Why would you refuse to do business if asked to prove ownership?

It's a sign of a tenant who will break your heart - ringing non stop complaining about the smallest thing.

Of course it's profiling and prone to error but I can make up my own rules (as can the prospective tenant)

bumper234

eyescreamcone wrote: »

It's a sign of a tenant who will break your heart - ringing non stop complaining about the smallest thing.

Of course it's profiling and prone to error but I can make up my own rules (as can the prospective tenant)

The sooner people like you are driven out of the business the better for all (landlords and tenants)

ZeroThreat

eyescreamcone wrote: »

It's a sign of a tenant who will break your heart - ringing non stop complaining about the smallest thing.

Of course it's profiling and prone to error but I can make up my own rules (as can the prospective tenant)

You still haven't mentioned your procedures re. the storage of peoples personal data. I'm pretty sure you can't 'make up my own rules' in this regard.

eyescreamcone

ZeroThreat wrote: »

You still haven't mentioned your procedures re. the storage of peoples personal data. I'm pretty sure you can't 'make up my own rules' in this regard.

If you feel your landlord is acting illegally you can report her to the PRTB, the Gardai or the data protection gestapo if you feel like.

Has any landlord been prosecuted for illegal data protection?
Not going to happen soon I'd imagine

murphaph

Has anyone been prosecuted for failing to destroy a copy of ID?

I agree .....what would be wrong with simply seeing the ID??

I have been both a landlord and a tenant. Last week I was about to rent an apartment - not through an agent but privately - and they asked me for 2 references and my passport. I was surprised.......when I was a landlord just 2 years ago I asked for neither and was fine. You have to use your judgment and can screen people out when you meet them to view your property.... you just get a feel with people. I understand having to be cautious etc etc but seeing someone's passport is not going to stop them thrashing your place or defaulting on rent is it???
I didn't go ahead with that apartment anyway - but not for that reason

Rasmus

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I agree .....what would be wrong with simply seeing the ID??

I have been both a landlord and a tenant. Last week I was about to rent an apartment - not through an agent but privately - and they asked me for 2 references and my passport. I was surprised.......when I was a landlord just 2 years ago I asked for neither and was fine. You have to use your judgment and can screen people out when you meet them to view your property.... you just get a feel with people. I understand having to be cautious etc etc but seeing someone's passport is not going to stop them thrashing your place or defaulting on rent is it???
I didn't go ahead with that apartment anyway - but not for that reason

Seeing ID is not the problem - it's copying it and retaining the copy for an unspecified time in an insecure environment is. You can bet that this kind of 'landlord' would be horrified to have his data held in the same way. The only thing a landlord needs for security purposes is a name, address and PPS number.

ZeroThreat

Rasmus wrote: »

Seeing ID is not the problem - it's copying it and retaining the copy for an unspecified time in an insecure environment is. You can bet that this kind of 'landlord' would be horrified to have his data held in the same way. The only thing a landlord needs for security purposes is a name, address and PPS number.

The creamcone guy already said he'd never show his ID, but he refuses to say what he does with tenants ID he does collect, other than to refer to the data regulators as the gestapo, and then state that no landlord has ever been prosecuted for illegal data posession.

thomil

Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I'm used to be asked to provide a copy of my ID before renting an apartment, so it wasn't much of a surprise when the agent asked for it when I signed the lease for my apartment. In my case it was a copy of my German ID Card (Personalausweis), which doesn't really show much, especially since the address included on there is not valid anymore, obviously.

With all that being said, I expect the same kind of openness from my landlord (and any agent involved for that matter). If he/she is not willing to provide information about anything unclear, then the only conclusion I can draw is that the person involved has some shady interests and is certainly not trustworthy.

Patrickheg

The Spider wrote: »

Shortage of rentals in Dublin, so tennants who didn't supply their id would be disregarded. I'd never ask to see it, but then again I'd only rent to a certain type of person.

Rental shortage landlords rules, rental oversupply tenants rules, simples!

That's exactly it. If you say no they will move to the next person in the queue.

It's been getting worse lately too, last place we were asked for bank statements as well as letters from employer together with passport and landlord reference. Was so fed up of open evenings and having to compete with other potential tenants we gave them everything except the bank statements.

Estate agents are arrogant arseh0les and a law to themselves

eyescreamcone

...Prospective tenants are free to draw whatever conclusions they like.
As landlords can also.

What's all the moaning about?
It's a free world

Zillah

eyescreamcone wrote: »

...Prospective tenants are free to draw whatever conclusions they like.
As landlords can also.

What's all the moaning about?
It's a free world

You're utterly unbearable, that's the problem. Entitled, arrogant and dismissive.

The Spider

Zillah wrote: »

You're utterly unbearable, that's the problem. Entitled, arrogant and dismissive.

Well you could say the same about plenty of renters around these parts, who want something for nothing, and feel entitled to cheap rent in desirable areas....

ZeroThreat

eyescreamcone wrote: »

...Prospective tenants are free to draw whatever conclusions they like.
As landlords can also.

What's all the moaning about?
It's a free world

Nothing to moan about, once peoples data is stored securely & destroyed after their tenancy ends.