Would you do this?

Parent Cafe
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<p>So, after the last event with D’s apartment, we decided to increase efforts to look for a new one, and, we thought we found one. It’s not so exciting I’m sleepless, but, it meets our requirements very well. D went there, met the elderly parents of the owners, etc., met the current, departing tenants, all is well. I haven’t seen it, but don’t need to - through the internet and various resources I’m satisfied with it and with her descriptions (she’s ten times pickier so if she’s happy I’m good). </p>

<p>Anyway, the owner, who lives in another state, wants me to fill out a complete rental application AND credit check authorization and send it to his HOUSE via fax, and then he plans to fax the same documents yet again to some real estate company who he will not name until I send the fax, and then this mystery company, who will of course have all of my personal information (including drivers license, ss number, etc.), will check my credit through all three bureaus. </p>

<p>Does this strike anyone else as risky? I understand that they need to complete due diligence. But I don’t think that my personal information should be sent all around the country via fax, and they have declined my request that I make the documents “read only”, password protect them and transmit via email. </p>

<p>Plus, why should they have access to my entire credit file? The form authorizes full credit files from all three bureaus. I can understand wanting to be able to verify that I pay bills on time - for that matter, they could even call my mortgage company, current landlord, etc., and verify that everything is always paid on time. But should they also have access to everything else included in my credit file? </p>

<p>It would be different, I think if I were walking into a local realtor’s office and handing someone my personal information, because then, I could verify state licenses etc. But in this scenario it’s like handing blanket access to my personal information into a black hole. </p>

<p>If it were just me, I’d take a pass on this so fast it wouldn’t be funny - there’s lots of other stuff out there to rent. But D really likes the apartment and is very excited about it…</p>

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<p>So, I’m relieved, I was terrified you were going to post that I should not rent anything that doesn’t come furnished with a, um, well, you know.</p>

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<p>As a victim of identity theft, still dealing with the financial repercussions 16 years later, I would say absolutely, categorically and emphatically not. And if the real estate company cannot understand this, then I would have serious questions about the reputability of the real estate company.</p>

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<p>i can certainly understand your unease about transmitting your personal info, but you also need to look at the landlord’s point of view. the landlord is taking a risk when he hands over the keys of his real estate to perfect strangers. real estate is usually the single most valuble asset a person owns, and renters can be very negligent with other people’s possessions. (i am in no way insinuating that you are/will be, but many landlords have been burned badly at least once, and this may cause them to be extra cautious when they rent the property after spending thousands to repair it.) </p>

<p>regrettably, i speak from personal experience. we now require a copy of a person’s credit report because it can show problems that don’t appear with a cursory check to see if the mortgage/rent has been paid on time. we also require a copy of renters’ social security cards, pay stubs, and drivers licenses as well. unfortunately, irresponsible renters make it necessary to subject everyone to the same privacy-invading checks.</p>

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<p>Metermaid, I agree with you; I own a house that we are seriously considering renting because I return to it so rarely anymore, and if that’s the end decision, I will be requiring a credit check, etc. </p>

<p>My problem with this situation is I’m being asked to send the info to someone’s HOUSE in another state, and, the landlord is in turn going to send it to an entity that he will only identify as “a real estate company”. In other words, send my personal data off to people who I do not know, and cannot even do my own due diligence on the person or several persons who will have my information. </p>

<p>I also think the situation should work both ways. I should be able to check HIS background - not credit as that is not necessary, but, I should be able to check to see if the mortage on the property, the HOA dues are current, and that he does not have a criminal history. He wouldn’t provide his home address etc. - and while I know how to get his info, I don’t want to go get it on my own, I want him to offer it cooperatively and as a courtesy. </p>

<p>It may be a moot point though - I left a message for him yesterday afternoon asking for the name and location of the real estate company who will be receiving these documents, and he has not returned my call. So I’m guessing he’d rather deal with a tenant who is less diligent about who gets their information. </p>

<p>Lori, thanks for that, that has been my position too. Sending my paperwork to someone’s house - I don’t know them, cannot know who else might have access to the information, etc. I’d have to worry about it for years. </p>

<p>Oh well - back to the classified ads I guess. Very disappointing, because my daughter really liked the apartment.</p>

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<p>I would think that someone who lives in another state from their real estate- would have a manager who was appointed to deal with the tenants and handle the rentals.
If they don’t have a manager- then who are tenants going to go to when the pipes leak or other problems?</p>

<p>I don’t own any other property than my house where I live, but it seems like there should be someone in that city- that could make the appropriate decisions. If everything has to go through a company elsewhere, that could cause problems down the road & it may be good to find that out now, rather than after she signs a lease.</p>

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<p>Emeraldkity, good point. I need to ask my daughter if she asked that question. His parents are here in town, but, they are elderly, do not speak english very well, and quite frankly I would find it difficult to be bothering them with maintenance issues.</p>

<p>If I were to decide to rent out my house, for example, my best friend and her parents live five minutes away, and we have already discussed that I would compensate her a small “managers” fee to oversee the property. She does this already when I am not there. Her father is in his 70’s, but LOVES to fix things, and is very, very skilled. </p>

<p>They live in the house that he bought something like 50 years ago when her parents first got married. It’s the most interesting property - when he first bought it, it was one bedroom, and I think a small livingroom with a smaller kitchen, oh and a bathroom, but on a very large lot. Now, it’s five bedrooms, three bathrooms, pool, screened patio, garage - it’s stunning and beautiful, and he did the majority of the work himself over the course of 30 years. I am SO envious of his talents.</p>

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<p>The faxing of stuff all over would make me nervous as well…and why they are “hiding” the real estate company from you seems strange…why hide it? It is not like there is a big commission or anything…I would think it would make sense to send it to the real estate company, who is bonded, etc, (well hopefully) directly</p>

<p>Who would checks be payabe to? How much deposit is required?</p>

<p>It is not the checking that is odd, its the kind of not sharing full information with the renter, while the renter is supposed to share everything</p>

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<p>LTS,</p>

<p>My offhand guess is the owner has a family member or friend who is going to run a credit check on the side, which is why s/he wants you to fax your information to his/her house. While I understand owners who want to avoid costly real estate charges, this sounds like a bad deal to me. In addition to identity theft issues, I second the earlier comments that this owner probably won’t be available. I’m speculating but this may be an owner who is more concerned about rental property income than tenant maintenance.</p>

<p>My advice is to offer to provide appropriate credit information to the owner’s local property manager - e.g., the person your daughter will call if the water heater leaks or the A/C quits. If the owner doesn’t have anyone local, you will at least know going in that you’re on your own when it comes to problems. And given your recent thread on rentals, you may not want to repeat that experience.</p>

<p>I know how important it is to find the right place for college kids to live. Good luck.</p>

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<p>LTS:</p>

<p>i agree with DRJ.</p>

<p>Considering the problems that led to your D’s seeking another place to live, I strongly suggest finding an apartment where the owner or a rental agency is available to undertake repairs as necessary. Which means the property you are considering at the moment does not fit the bill. I’d walk away from that one.</p>

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<p>Okay, why was my post deleted?!</p>

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<p>The procedure you mentioned is not uncommon. Many property owners don’t live onsite. They use rental agency (for marketing), contract out maintenance works and other operational aspects of their rental “business”. I just think this particular landlord is less sensitive to the privacy concern but does nothing wrong. Nonetheless, you should talk to current/former tenants on how and if maintenance work is usually carried out.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the responses. Late Saturday, the landlord did finally send to me via email all of the information I requested, including the name of the real estate company, however, my perception was that he held out and only chose to do so once it became clear I wasn’t moving off my position. Of course, it’s sort of like too little too late; by now I’ve lost interest. I’m just not into playing games in order to transact business. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I spent much of the day yesterday and last night searching for an alternative. It’s an exhausting process; I’m almost completely worn out from it. A few leads but nothing exciting, and only one or two leads that are slightly promising.</p>

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<p>CGM, you caught my point completely; it’s a two way street. I don’t mind legitimate credit inquiries, etc., but, I absolutely should have the right to know who is checking my credit, who has access to that information, etc. </p>

<p>Just this morning, D called me from campus - she received a fraudulent email from Wachovia, a phishing attempt. She forwarded it to me, and, I have to say, it’s very, very well done. I see fraudulent documents all day long and this one would trap a good 50% of recipients I’m guessing. </p>

<p>We get a little weirded out about personal information floating around out there for just anyone to get their hands on…</p>

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<p>I didn’t see it so I can’t say for sure, but based on your previous posts, it was probably devoid of helpful content other than correcting somebody’s grammar or punctuation. Maybe the mods thought that was out of line. You know what they say - “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”.</p>

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<p>I never correct punctuation.</p>

<p>As for saying “something nice”, you mean something DUMB.</p>