WORLD · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
RentTech Platforms Continue to Seek Excessive Tenant Data, Bypassing Victorian Privacy Laws
WHY IT MATTERS
The continued solicitation of excessive data threatens tenant privacy, undermining the intent of Victorian privacy reforms and exposing renters to potential misuse of personal information.
What happened
A recent review by the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) found that several RentTech companies are still requesting tenants to provide large amounts of personal information that fall outside the scope of the new Victorian privacy laws. The review highlighted that these platforms encourage hopeful renters to share data beyond what is required for a standard rental application, effectively sidestepping the regulations designed to protect tenant privacy.
The CPRC’s findings suggest that the new legislation, which aims to limit the collection of personal data, is not fully effective against these practices.
The review calls attention to the gap between the law’s intent and the actual data‑collection habits of rental platforms operating in Victoria.
PRIMARY SOURCES
RentTech companies still asking tenants for personal details ‘completely outside’ new Victorian laws
The Guardian · Catie McLeod Consumer affairs reporter · Discovery only; Guardian content licensing terms apply