Can we ask for ID?
Often times, owners will ask us about how we verify prospective tenants' identity and some will ask to have a copy of the tenant's identification.
In this issue of the NOBLE newsletter, we will reference the Privacy Guidelines for Landlords and Tenants from the OIPC (Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia) and explore this topic.
Can a landlord ask to see a tenant’s identification?
Yes. Typically, a landlord’s purpose for requesting to examine identification is simply to verify a tenant’s identity when entering into a rental or tenancy agreement and such a requirement is reasonable. Given that a landlord must be able to properly identify a tenant in the event that damage is caused to the property, an emergency occurs, or the tenant does not honour the lease, it may be reasonable to authenticate a tenant’s identity.
Can a landlord ask for a tenant’s driver’s licence number or photocopy the licence?
A landlord may not collect, copy or use a person’s driver’s licence information because it is not necessary in order to consider a prospective tenant’s rental application. A landlord may not refuse the application of a tenant who refuses to provide his or her driver’s licence. A landlord may ask to examine a person’s driver’s licence in order to verify the person’s identity. However, the landlord must not write down or photocopy this personal information.
So now we know! Even if we cannot have a photocopy of their identification as we are not allowed to according to the regulations, rest assured that the tenant’s identity is always verified.