What personal information does a renter need to provide?
Few people enjoy completing paperwork, but unfortunately, it’s a necessary part of the rental process, and the reality is whenever you apply for a rental property some personal information is required.
At it’s most basic, this information is designed to prove you are who you say you are and can afford to rent the property, so let’s take a look at the types of personal information a prospective renter needs to provide…
Identification
By law, a prospective renter needs to provide documents that prove they are who they say they are.
Similar to applying for a licence, a passport or even a bank loan, this documentation tends to include 100 points of official identification.
These documents are used to verify each person applying to rent a property, and could include things like your driver’s licence, your Medicare card, and/or your birth certificate along with other documents like a phone or utilities bill that verify your current address.
Proof of income
Proof of income is needed to show that you can afford the weekly rent for the property.
This documentation might range from payslips to tax returns or any other items that show you receive a regular income or have access to sufficient funds that will enable you to honour the obligation of paying the rent, each and every week.
Personal references
In addition to documents that illustrate the prospective renter is who they say they are and has the capacity to pay the rent, extra information is required about a renter’s character.
This type of information speaks to who you are and how well you might look after a property. Generally, it’s provided in the form of references, which come from people you know, but aren’t related to.
It might be someone in your workplace in the form of a professional reference, or someone you’ve known for a while, who can provide a character reference.
What happens to that info
All the information requested in the application process is used for specific purposes, and there are strict laws governing how it’s acquired, cross checked and stored.
As part of this process, the property manager conducts their own checks against available databases. These databases are used to see if a prospective renter has any negative history of failing to pay their rent or damaging the property.
The final word
Although the application process can feel cumbersome and it might seem like a lot of information is required, it’s needed for the property manager to fulfil their job of ensuring a renter is who they say they are and can afford to rent the property for the duration of the agreement.
After all, a property is a valuable asset that a property manager is responsible for looking after.
You can view what happens after you file your application here.
How we can help
Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.
We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.
Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.
