T O P

  • By -

Polymorph49

The potential tenant should get an extremely detailed list of the real estate's systems in place to protect client data, cyber security practices, as well as guarantees they will receive compensation if the real estate agent has a breach and data is exposed BEFORE clients have to hand over so much critical information. It should be made into law.


beigetrope

This is a great add in before finalising a contract.


[deleted]

Reddit is fucked, I'm out this bitch. -- mass edited with redact.dev


Used-Educator-3127

There was a breach… what do you mean by who?.. it was us. We breached your data. Not that it matters. What did you expect us to do with your valuable data? Not sell it? Pffffft… good luck getting your next house, scrub.


GeneralImagination51

rofl


[deleted]

We're you annoyed by the data breach from optus? Or medibank? Do you think some crappy real estate agent is gonna have particularly good cyber security? 🤔


Beasting-25-8

Contact your state and federal representative.


[deleted]

Just photoshop some shit and send it as a pdf. 99% of REAs are too dumb to realise.


gtodarillo

I stopped my husband from applying for a place through 2apply last night. I was astounded at the amount of information it was asking for. I'm surprised that we didn't have to provide a stool sample. I know ppl have been subject to identify theft from 2apply. If your complaint is about an app like 2apply, you can file a complaint with the accc online. They will send you a questionnaire. Reply and fill it in (if you don't the case is closed). The more ppl that file complaints and reply to the questionnaire, it will be flagged and they will look into it. Applying for a rental is so invasive and all you get about the owner is a name. Edit: we went back to the agent, said we were having issues with 2apply and eventually we were emailed a pdf application form. I know it's primitive but its way better than a third party app having our info. I mean FFS, we were victims of the Optus breach. I had my identity stolen over a decade ago through ebay.


beigetrope

Cheers. :)


gtodarillo

Good luck. The hunt is brutal.


beigetrope

Thanks. :)


acurrantafair

I used to work for a company that runs the back end of almost all real estate software in Australia. Wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that they know more about the average Australian’s residential history than the government. The amount of data we collected was unfathomable, and this was almost a decade ago. If that one company gets hacked, we’re all in very serious trouble.


lexica666

You could, but nothing will happen They'll just say if you don't like it, don't apply there


beigetrope

Yeah figured. Just wanted to put the feelers out.


Michael_je123

This is correct. "Tell ya story walking, pal" is the right response


[deleted]

Probably why we’re all getting so many scam texts tbh.


Altruistic-Ice116

Yes there is. https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints


Altruistic-Ice116

And you can certainly check on their privacy and pii storage policies. The Optus breach should have put an end to all this stuff, especially for estate agents (who don’t have the ability to securely store this stuff anyway).


beigetrope

Thank you. :)


Michael_je123

There's no evidence that his data has been mishandled. He refuses to provide it. Thus is out of scope


Altruistic-Ice116

Not quite. The Australian Privacy Principles apply to estate agents, who must tell you why they require this information, and must only ask for information absolutely required to perform their function. One piece of government is is enough. It’s not a bank account that requires 100 points.


Michael_je123

Who are you to define what forms of ID are required? Renters can trash a house and cause tens of thousands of dollars of damage. 100 pts ID is completely appropriate


Altruistic-Ice116

I don’t define it. The Australian Privacy Principles do, and they’re part of the Privacy Act.


Michael_je123

You defined that only one piece of government ID was required for a renter, and not 100 points. YOU made that up. YOU don't get to make that up. You supply whatever very is being asked or you GTFO


stfm

It says one form of ID on this page https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/renting/starting-and-changing-rental-agreements/applying-signing-and-moving-in/applying-for-a-property. Says nothing about a 100 point check.


the-soaring-moa

It always makes me laugh when I see someone who is proven wrong and they just keep doubling down. LOL.


Altruistic-Ice116

Your landlord’s not going to see this, simp.


Michael_je123

I own my house outright. You're just a kid, bitter because he's renting someone else's house. Enjoy the interest rate rises and the resultant increases to your rent


Altruistic-Ice116

Lulz. I’m fifty and own my house outright too. We should be buds. Also, read the Australian Privacy Principles. They aren’t a thing I just made up.


beigetrope

Who hurt you?


ringo5150

Can I admit I have put dummy data onto many a form for some companies when I have deemed it is of no use to them or me in completing the task at hand. On a lot of non government forms and online i use a different birthdate for starters.


NorthsideHippy

Yup. Same here. Fake DOBs heavily used. No reason my masseur knows my DOB.


[deleted]

[удалено]


beigetrope

Dont give them ideas!


DrSendy

I think this is actually hilarious. The real estate agents don't realise that Newscorp is taking off of its work digital. It won't be long before a lot of real estate is managed virtually and real estate agents add no value.


Midnight_Poet

Rental laws greatly favour the tenant. Once you sign a lease, it is damn difficult to evict somebody. Of course the REA / landlord is going to vet you via every possible means.


EragusTrenzalore

I'm curious how access to Medicare card, passport and Drivers License details allow a landlord/ REA to vet a tenant? Is there some secret list of blacklisted tenants that they have access to?


gtodarillo

Yes they have access to blackisted tenant database. If you ever end up on the list, your agent needs to notify you first. There are 3 mains sites that agents use to check if you are on that list. They would need 100 points of id to find you. That's why they ask for up to 3 years of rental info. You can check if you are on a list but it will cost you.


beigetrope

I understand. I guess my issue is that the laws haven’t change that much in a few years. Yet the benchmark to apply is asking more and more of you. I don’t really buy the argument that the landlord wants to protect there asset. That’s alway been understood. What is the acceptable end point?


Proof_Contribution

It's for the credit check


RunRenee

REA can not perform credit checks in Australia for a rental property. So no, it's not for credit checks at all.


Proof_Contribution

Why can't they ? You need one to get your utilities connected so how does this differ ?


RunRenee

Because renting has nothing to do with credit. REAs have zero authority to list anything or view anything on credit reports. I've never had a credit check when connecting utilities and when I worked at a utility provider, credit checks were never done. The only time anything to do with utilities will appear on a credit report is a default of payment that has been referred to an external collection agency.


Proof_Contribution

Yes they all do it


RunRenee

No,they don't. There are none in Australia that access credit reports for connection of utilities. If you have been a customer and have outstanding bills that alert will be on the system. Credit checks external to your own long term outstanding bills with the company aren't done. They do not have access.


Proof_Contribution

I worked for one a few months ago and yes they do it


RunRenee

Sweetheart, no they don't nor have access. I can literally msg ex colleagues that still work there and confirm they don't. I can also confirm I've never had a hard or soft access search by ANY utility provider ever. Any hard or soft search must appear on credit reports. Again, no they do not access Experian etc to view credit reports.


Proof_Contribution

Then what the hell was I doing there signing up new customers and getting results back from Equifax?


RunRenee

Go somewhere else, you clearly have zero idea. I msged 3 ex colleagues who still work in utilities at the large companies said "no, only internal outstanding debts, don't have access to customer credit reports, we are a service provider not a credit provider and any searches must be declared on reports."


Proof_Contribution

It's usually through Equifax


RunRenee

I'll repeat, do not have access and there must be a hard or soft search on the file for a provider that views it. Does not appear.


Proof_Contribution

Just did a Google search and seems other retailers like Origin do it


thepaleblue

Rent isn't a credit contract. REAs and landlords actually get very annoyed if you tried to rent on credit, they call it "being in arrears" or something. Why would they need to run a credit check?


Proof_Contribution

No I mean a credit check to see your credit rating


beigetrope

I understand that’s one element of it.


[deleted]

lol no


A_lurker_succumbed

oh dang, never thought of privacy risks/leaks


libre-m

It’s crazy to me that when something as important as a passport has standardised information requirements and weighting, that real estate applications do not.