A very strange person threatened me today. I think she was my landlord's relative or something. She said she would find out where I live by talking to my landlord. Isn't this illegal? I don't think the post office will even give you a person's new address.
Don't ask what I did to make her so mad. It isn't even worth mentioning. She's a loony I think.
2007-11-07 09:41:28 · 5 answers · asked by Velvet 4 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
She knows where I rent now, but she wants to find out where I am going once my lease is up. Sorry for the confusing details.
2007-11-07 09:42:50 · update #1
It's called the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). You can get anyone's forwarding address. Since it's public information and your landlord DID NOT obtain it via the application process, your landlord can speak about it.
The landlord also owes you no duty of confidentiality when it comes to a forwarding address. It may mean your landlord is a big mouth, but it's not illegal. Someone can also look you up in the phone book. However, someone cannot find out your credit score without your permission. See the difference? Again, no duty of confidentiality has been formed as it relates to a forwarding address. It's just something you told the landlord in passing. The landlord/answerer below who plays an attorney on Yahoo Answers apparently thinks that a forwarding address is the same as financial information or calling past landlords.
2007-11-07 11:09:22 · answer #1 · answered by Legend 4 · 4⤊ 3⤋
Landlords...you have no right to disclose personal information you collected in the application process on a tenant. Why do you think you have them sign a release so you can call past landlords or pull their credit. Hello. While forwarding address may be public info IF file with the post office...if it is NOT filed with the post office .... it is not public info.
I would never disclose the private information I had on file for a past tenant unless I had a signed disclosure form from that past client....like for a verfication of past rental history.
That would be a fine line of violation of privacy and if a wacko shot you because I gave her info I had no legal reason to give her I could be sued. NO Way. If someone asks for your social to qualify you for an apartment........they should have a privacy statement or policy. Ask landlords up front.
On another note....She can send a letter to your old address and she can ask the post office to notify her of the forwarding address.
I think its Return Service Request or Fowarding Request. So I would recommend not forwarding your address. Just notify everyone you want to have your addy and not the post office.
There is also reverse look up if your phone # is listed.
Then I would tell the landlord in writing when you will contact him to pick up your deposit. Depending on your state he has 21 days in CA....But tell him you don't have a forwarding address.
Thats the only way I think you can prevent her or the landlord from getting your new addy. Thats how we track down tenants that know they arent getting a deposit back but owe for damages and such.
Good Luck
2007-11-08 01:39:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 7⤋
Yes they can. It has to be so in order to prevent deadbeats running out on their debts simply by moving.
I had a strange thing happen. A person I rented to moved on. Mail kept arriving addressed to half a dozen different people with her first name but a variety of surnames. All the mail was from welfare agencies of one kind or another. I asked at the post office what I should do as fraud seemed likely and the postmistress marked all the mail "Deceased" and sent it back. Always wondered how that turned out.
2007-11-07 17:52:12 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 3⤊ 5⤋
I do not believe it is illegal to disclose a forwarding address. However, as a landlord, I would not do such a thing without a full explanation of why the asker wanted the information. If the explanation did not satisfy me, I would withhold the information.
2007-11-07 17:47:12 · answer #4 · answered by acermill 7 · 3⤊ 5⤋
Hi,If you are on good terms with your land lord ask them not to give any one your forwarding address.There is no one that can stop your land lord from doing so .Think of a credit report and how much money these people make on your information that they give to the whole world.i think this is the lowest form of business to be in myself.Good Luck
2007-11-07 18:11:58 · answer #5 · answered by rosco 6 · 1⤊ 6⤋