Letting agent wants my NI number

usefulmale

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Is this still rumbling on?

Landlords and letting agents can ask for whatever documents they like. Potential tenants have the choice to provide the documents or not. Simple.

Artful and jj have already explained why a LL would want to have the NINO and it had nothing to do with housing benefit fraud.

Given the documents tenants provide it would be quite possible for a LL to open a bank account or credit card or mobile phone contract in the tenant's name so why just fixate on fraudulent housing benefit claims?

I agree that a T kicking up this much fuss about proving a NINO would probably be a PITA tenant. Renting isn't black & white, sometimes you just need to pick your battles.

As I said to a previous poster, if your NI number is so unimportant, will you post it here for all to see?

We are not PITA tenants. We have lived here in our rented place for 5 years. The landlord has a small portfolio of properties but he is getting too old to do it anymore, so is selling up. He didn't take any references from us, nor any deposit. His tenants are all long term, like us, and all, including us, look after the houses as if they were our own. Having a landlord actually trusting his / her tenants, instead of taking unnecessary personal information has certainly made a better landlord and tenants in our case, at least.

I know a fair few of my rights as a tenant and will research what I don't know. Why do landlords dislike such people? Is it so they can ride roughshod / exploit them easier?

Pixie5740

I wouldn't post my NINO on a public Internet forum any more than I post post my address, a copy of my passport or my sort code and account number. Providing these details to a LL or LA is not the same thing as posting them on an Internet forum. If you're willing to give other documents why not your NINO? If you're asked to provide proof of income from a payslip or P60 they'll get it anyway.

I'm not a a LL by the way, never have been. I'm a tenant and I realise that making yourself look like PITA from the outset is not going to get you a tenancy. That's why I said as a tenant you have to pick your battles. It's too easy to get rid of a tenant who rocks the boat too much. It might not be right but that's the way it is.

Marktheshark

The reason explained was total rubbish, it would not help trace anyone and it would not make getting an attachment of earnings order any easier .
Neither would a landlord or letting agency have any idea if the number given was false.
Unless the landlord is considering paying someone's national insurance contributions they have no need to have their NI number and ANY landlord or agent that thinks they do are rouge.
End of argument in my opinion .

It is the one crucial bit of personal information required to make fraudulent housing benefit claims, the practice is rife and those asking for NI numbers should be reported to the Councils Housing benefit departments investigation unit so they have a record of rouge landlords who might need keeping a very close eye on.

http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/11824401.Landlord_ordered_to_pay_back_housing_benefits/

jjlandlord

See:
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-31917.html

usefulmale

Pixie5740 wrote: »

I wouldn't post my NINO on a public Internet forum any more than I post post my address, a copy of my passport or my sort code and account number. Providing these details to a LL or LA is not the same thing as posting them on an Internet forum. If you're willing to give other documents why not your NINO? If you're asked to provide proof of income from a payslip or P60 they'll get it anyway.

No they don't. I do copies of all documents with important numbers redacted. Letting agents are welcome to look at the originals and compare but I will not allow them to take their own copies. The current letting agent was fine with this. They only need sight of the documents, not copies.

Surprisingly, with my diligence in not giving all and sundry my personal details, I have not yet been subject to identity fraud and the god-awful mess that entails.

Pixie5740

No who don't? Who are you referring to?

I wouldn't accept copies. It's too easy to alter something on a photocopy like when a colleague of mine used to doctor her bank statements to obtain loans. If I were paying a LA I would be mightily !!!!ed off if they took copies provided by the tenant with bits scored out.

I'm glad you've found a letting agency who has accepted your copied documents. I bet they still have enough of your personal information to steal your identity though if they really wanted.

usefulmale

Pixie5740 wrote: »

No who don't? Who are you referring to?

I wouldn't accept copies. It's too easy to alter something on a photocopy like when a colleague of mine used to doctor her bank statements to obtain loans. If I were paying a LA I would be mightily !!!!ed off if they took copies provided by the tenant with bits scored out.

I'm glad you've found a letting agency who has accepted your copied documents. I bet they still have enough of your personal information to steal your identity though if they really wanted.

Once the references come through, what use are the copies to the letting agent?

I have stated that I showed my current letting agents the originals and the copies I made with important numbers redacted, so it would be quite clear that nothing else was altered.