Can Your Landlord Ask You for a Background Check?

When looking to lease or sublet a property, you’ve likely been asked for a background check.

 

This is a common practice for landlords during the property application process because they want to ensure their properties are in the hands of reliable tenants. Otherwise, property damage and other difficulties can be very costly.

 

For example, a property manager in Windsor, Ontario stated that their tenant was a drug addict that left 200 syringes in the rental property after moving out, and cleaning and disposal responsibilities fell on the landlord instead of the tenant.

 

In another example, the president of R.A.M. Property Management had to accept $1000 cash from a tenant who owed more than $3000 in unpaid rent.

 

Your landlord might ask you about your income, rental history, credit references, credit report, criminal background, and more to learn more about you before accepting your leasing or rental application.

 

These background check reports can include information about your past employments and durations, the addresses of your previous rentals, your criminal history, and your credit history, including any bankruptcies and missed payments.

 

This information helps landlords determine whether you’re a trustworthy tenant and whether you’re financially able to pay your rent on time each month.

 

Although landlords can ask for a background check as a part of your application process, you must know your rights.

 

According to the Human Rights Code, landlords can ask for your income, rental history, credit references, and credit check. If you don’t have a rental or credit history, don’t worry. The Code specifies that landlords cannot use this against you.

 

In addition, income information can be considered as the only indicator of whether a tenant’s application should be processed if there is no other information made available to the landlord.

 

Furthermore, landlords can only ask you for a guarantor if they have the same requirements for all tenants.

 

There are concerns about discrimination when asking tenants for background checks. However, the Human Rights Code, landlords are not allowed to discriminate against tenants based on the following:

-Race or ethnic background;

-Religious beliefs or practices;

-Ancestry;

-Citizenship or place of origin;

-Sex or sexual orientation;

-Marital or family status;

-Disability;

-Age;

-And receipt of public assistance.

 

If your landlord requires a background check, we can help you quickly and affordably obtain one. Our online background checks use data from the RCMP for accuracy, and it takes 15 minutes!

 

To learn more about our solutions, call us at 1-844-874-8667 or visit www.tritoncanada.ca.