I was signing a lease when I was asked for my SIN number and I didn't have it on me so I was told to bring it in at a later date. But is that even legal? She didn't even specify what she needed it for...

yeah, i had an issue with this last year, and apparently, it is legal.

I dunno, it seems pretty commonplace. I haven't been to aplace yet that hasn't requested it. ._.

I assume it's for some sort of credit check? But ffs, we're practically children still. Seems kinda pointless.

I'd rather them do a criminal check then have my sin number. ._.

I came across the same thing a few months ago. He said they needed it to do a credit check, because I'm a student.

Then they called me like 2 hours later and said they did the credit check and I needed a cosigner. I don't know if I believe any of that..

So then did you end up signing the lease?

Originally Posted by Kathy2

I came across the same thing a few months ago. He said they needed it to do a credit check, because I'm a student.

Then they called me like 2 hours later and said they did the credit check and I needed a cosigner. I don't know if I believe any of that..

I had the same happen.

Either way I think a cosigner would be inevitable if you don't have a source of full-time income, it's only fair to them to have a backup to protect their interests.

I just signed a lease a couple of weeks ago, and none of that was asked for. Maybe it's just because my landlord is new to it all. No SIN or cosigner!

Originally Posted by melodicdream

So then did you end up signing the lease?

No.

Kind of a long story: On the application, it asked for our SIN numbers, but we didn't have them on us. The landlord said that he needed the SIN numbers to do a credit check, but he could do the credit check with our postal codes too. So we gave him our postal codes. Then 2 hours later, he called, said he did a credit check and needed a cosigner. The application also asked us for our bank account numbers and our branch location. :/

We have a cosigner, but that guy was way too sketchy. I've never heard of a credit check via postal code, especially within 2 hours.

I think it depends on the type of property. When I was looking for places last summer, all of the apartments in downtown that I looked at wanted my SIN and a cosigner. The house that I ended up signing a lease for required neither

What?!

I've had issue with giving out my SIN in the past and will not do it again. Is there any way to avoid it?

There is no law stating that landlords cannot ask for your SIN, but you are not obliged to give it to them. A credit check can be done without a SIN, it just takes longer to make sure they're looking at the right person's report. This is probably why the one landlord mentioned above asked for your postal code, so he could make sure he was checking the right person.

It's usually best not to give your SIN out, especially if the person seems shady.

Yeah some people will ask for a SIN. You are in no way obliged to do it. If you're not comfortable with giving your SIN, just give them your driver's license number.

Well, all of this would have been nice to know. >_<

They obviously have some sort of legal obligation to protect it though, right? (even from themselves...)

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Well, all of this would have been nice to know. >_<

They obviously have some sort of legal obligation to protect it though, right? (even from themselves...)

Yeah, they can't sell the information, or otherwise use it for their own personal gain. But the law also says people can't set residences on fire, or make bombs to blow things up, and here we are...

i think the only people who ever need your SIN number specifically are employers. i'd be suspicious if anyone else asked me for it, but then again i'm not familiar with landlord stuff.