Can a potential landlord who happens to be a lawyer do a background check on you before you rent a place?

Question

My mom had me call about a house last night for rent, and the landlord asked for names of the people who would be living there and phone numbers of course which was reasonable, and we called this morning at 10 o'clock, to make an appointment to see it this evening, and by 1 oclock this afternoon(Sunday) she called and said that she would not be able to show the house since my Dad had a criminal background which he doesn't, She didn't bother to check the fact that there was a Senior and a junior male with the same name, she just said all that and then hung up. I called her back and she mentioned the birth year was 62 and I told her that was my brother, who doesn't live here. Then she agreed to show the place. But I thought that was very unprofessional of her and i wondered if it was legal of her to do that since no rental application hadn't even been filled out yet, and like I said, this is Sunday! I would appreciate it, if someone could give me some good advice!

What I really wanted to know is can they do this background check without you signing off on it!

Also my mom hadn't even said that she wanted the house or filled out an application, the landlord done all of this prior to the application!

Answer 1

A landlord can do a background check before renting.

There's nothing in the regulations for practicing law (in any state that I've checked) that changes the rules just because the landlord is also an attorney.

Unless the prospective tenant is the attorney's client, the fact that the landlord has another profession is not relevant.

It's a little embarrassing that an attorney didn't bother to check the whole Sr. / Jr. thing, but the action was not illegal, nor (since it wasn't with regard to a client) unethical.

Answer 2

Any landlord can perform a background check on a prosepective tenant, regardless of being a legal professional.

It is only good sense on their part to do so and there is nothing unethical about it.

And... In some municipalities, they are required to do so by law.

Answer 3

Anyone can do a background check on anyone, but they can not get personal info, only public. All public info relates to criminal and tax. And ask yourself, if it was your property, would you not want to care as many precautions as you can, to protect what is yours? Once a renter is in, it is very difficult to get them out. Just my opinion, maybe the way that she presented herself was not right, but she does have a responsibility to herself as well as the rest of the neighborhood. Take a little consolation from the fact that they had to at least pay out of their pocket for the check!

Answer 4

right this is what got here approximately; the advert become located via a placement company, that works for the owner (and different landlords) you respond to the advert, and that they have got thousands of rooms and residences that they are able to place you in, yet first, they choose to do a credit and historic past verify, to be certain in case you're eligible. using fact of this they'd not teach you the placement, using fact they have located thousands of advert's on line for landlords, so as that they have got not got any theory which one you're responding to besides, and that they do no longer care, no longer till they be attentive to you are able to help them make money (they get 10% of your first years lease in the event that they place you with a landlord)

Answer 5

Not only can they. I would never rent a property without doing a background check.

Answer 6

Long Story Short, Yes, any landlord can!

Answer 7

Alot of landlords are now doing this to protect themselves and their property.