Is landlord TOO sketchy? Ran credit without permission. (real estate, renter)

[Newbie03]

Hi all,

I am new to Virginia and have a couple questions about whether I should be concerned about my new landlord. I am working with a manager who acts as the landlord for an owner that does not live in the area.

After I gave him my application, application fee, and deposit, he informed me he ran my credit before he had my written (or verbal) permission to do so. I am pretty sure this is illegal. I thought this was sketch (especially since he only knew my name at the time) and considered rescinding on the application and filing a complaint with the BBB. I talked to some friends who are real estate agents and they said not to sweat it.

So I go ahead and sign the lease. After he signs the lease, he tells me the owner is refusing to paint the walls. Before I even filled out an application, I was told the walls would be painted before I moved in (and if you saw the walls you would understand this was definitely a selling point). I tell him he needs to get the walls painted before we move forward and he tells me "well, I already signed the lease."

I am wondering what to do in this situation. I feel like I have been taken advantage of, and I no longer want to have a relationship with this landlord. I am wondering if I can use the fact that he ran my credit without permission to back out of the whole thing.

Thanks in advance!

[boyd888]

You can say to landlord that you don't wish to be his tenant given the lack of painting and credit. Who knows, he may just agree and be rid of you. However, it is much more likely that the landlord will want to invoke whatever cancellation terms are in the lease. If it is only one month's rent you may just want to eat it.

You could also move in and call every day requesting the place be painted like you were told it would be. Being annoying gets stuff done.

The credit check thing sounds like a grey area and if you were that concerned about it you should have never signed a lease.

[The Dissenter]

If you have a copy of the application, I'd look it over to see if there is a provision there about a credit check. If you signed it with the provision on there, then he had your authorization on paper.

I'd repost this on the renting forum as well for more advice.

[HokieFan]

He ran your credit before you submitted the application?

[xxengineerxx]

I was looking at a place today. Besides the standard credit and background check, the owner wanted to look at your bank statement too if you plan to rent from him. Not too sure I am comfortable with that. Why he needs to know how much $$ i have

[kww]

Originally Posted by xxengineerxx

I was looking at a place today. Besides the standard credit and background check, the owner wanted to look at your bank statement too if you plan to rent from him. Not too sure I am comfortable with that. Why he needs to know how much $$ i have

common practice.

[xxengineerxx]

Originally Posted by kww

common practice.

really? Private landlord? The one ones I have been seeing didn't ask about statement. Those are big management company.

[jillybean720]

I don't think you can run a credit check with a name only and no other information, which I assume is all they had (your name) if you hadn't yet submitted an application. They may have just been bluffing and not even done a credit check at all, just wanted you to sign and move in quickly.

As for the walls, if you didn't get it in writing, then that's really your own fault, and I don't think you actually have any recourse. However, if the landlord rents out multiple units (not just yours), they may have to abide by state landlord-tenant laws, and I believe carpet cleaning and fresh coat of paint are required in the state of VA before a new tenant moves in. I rent out a townhouse, and it's in the lease that the tenant actually has to have the carpets cleaned and walls returned to condition they were in at move-in (which was freshly painted, no holes, etc.).

[kww]

Originally Posted by xxengineerxx

really? Private landlord? The one ones I have been seeing didn't ask about statement. Those are big management company.

case by case.

pay stubs, W2s, schedule C's etc. Some ask for bank statements to show that a renter doesn't have $8.31 in their account, making $500 a week with $600 a month in obligations

if you do not feel comfortable, move on to another property. it's not like the landlord can increase the monthly rent without you agreeing once they see your bank account.

[spencgr]

How could he run your credit if he didn't have your SS number? If you gave him your SS number, what did you expect he would do with it?