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I visited a couple of apartments today. The application for one of them asks some strange things I haven't seen before at my previous apartments, like your height, weight, eye color, marital status, doctor information. Also not just employment information, but previous employer information. They also require rental insurance.
I visited a couple of apartments today. The application for one of them asks some strange things I haven't seen before at my previous apartments, like your height, weight, eye color, marital status, doctor information. Also not just employment information, but previous employer information. They also require rental insurance.
Is this common?
Rental insurance yes.. Previous employer seems normal as well since they probably want to check your employment status and to check how long you were employed. (making sure youll have a steady income). Ive never seen the other type info on any of my applications
Employer both present and past is reference. Some is emergency info. for first responders as well as spousal. Normally they get a non-residing relative or party to notify in emergency also.
Height, weight, eye color, martial status, doctor info- no, just no. That can be seen as heading into Fair Housing screening territory and trouble for the landlord. You do not need to answer these questions, they are way out of line.
Employment, current and past, renter's insurance, these are OK to ask.
There were some other strange things too, like in addition to bank name, they wanted a list of credit cards (which they can see when they run a credit report anyway). My last apartment didn't even ask for a bank reference, just proof of income and a credit check. They also want you to make 5x the rent, as opposed to the regular 3x. And perhaps most telling, they have over 20 apartments available.
My old place in a different state didn't require rental insurance. Maybe it varies by what state you're in. Looks like rental insurance is pretty cheap anyway.
We had the same questions asked about eye and hair color and height and weight. This seems discriminatory to me and not someting they need to know. This was in Tennessee. Odd.....
There were some other strange things too, like in addition to bank name, they wanted a list of credit cards (which they can see when they run a credit report anyway). My last apartment didn't even ask for a bank reference, just proof of income and a credit check. They also want you to make 5x the rent, as opposed to the regular 3x. And perhaps most telling, they have over 20 apartments available.
My old place in a different state didn't require rental insurance. Maybe it varies by what state you're in. Looks like rental insurance is pretty cheap anyway.
I think this varies by state. I've noticed it a lot on apartments while researching my move to AZ, but never came across this living in IL or MO. Regardless, renter's insurance makes good sense and I only pay $35 a month for it in a higher crime (statistics-wise) city. It's probably cheaper if you're looking in a smaller town or "safer" city.
When I was looking for apartments in MO the last time I moved, I loved one place, but the landlord was kind of a douche, and then I saw his application - wanted my bank account #, and a few other things I found odd. I tossed the application and kept looking.
5x income is far above normal, but I can kinda see that.
Asking for a list of your credit cards and bank, as well as your appearance statistics just raises red flags. I would keep looking, personally.
Last edited by RubyJune; 04-30-2015 at 02:36 PM..
Reason: spelling and clarification
Nothing else out of the ordinary-3x rent, credit and background check, DL #, etc....but the personal information sort of surprised me. Nothing like that in NJ.
It is in a brand new community just being built. I wonder if that has something to do with it.
In the day of identity theft, there's no way I would provide information like bank account or credit card numbers.
I would just leave that section blank. If they ask you fill it in, make up something. They have no business running through your bank accounts, anyways. If they try to run your bank account do you think the bank will just give out personal information? If they try to run a fake number and come up cold, do you think they will tell you hey, I was trying to run your bank account and it didn't work. Can you give me that again? Well, then you know they're trying to pry into your personal information.
They probably want your personal description to cut down on people asking for the key who don't belong there, but color eyes and hair can indicate race. Besides, one can always wear sunglasses or colored contacts!
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