Landlords in BC must follow the Personal Information and Protection Act, which outlines the rules for collecting, using, storing, disclosing, and protecting a tenant’s personal information. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC has developed a helpful guidance document that explains these rules in plain language.
Here are some examples of common questions that are answered in the guidance document:
- Can a landlord require a criminal record check?
- Can a landlord require a credit report?
- Can a landlord collect a tenant’s Social Insurance Number?
- Can a landlord require a prospective tenant’s banking information?
- Can a landlord collect personal information about an individual from social media?
Resources
- TRAC Webpage – Personal Information
- Personal Information and Protection Act
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC
- Guidance Document – Private Section Landlords and Tenants