...if I go to rent a house, and the landlord asks what I DO for a living, I'm free not to tell him/her, right?

i just posted this question on a legal website here in india, and everyone unanimously seems to think it's quite normal and right for a landlord to ask (and refuse me the house if I'm not in an occupation he/she "likes") - what's the situation in each of YOUR countries.....? how do I tackle this?

They mainly want to make sure they aren't helping house a criminal or someone without an income to make rent.

here in the US in Minnesota i've never been asked that question for renting. credit check? sure. list of prior rental addresses and contacts? sure. but not employment information.

I'm in the US (NC) and I've been asked for (and provided) my last 2 pay stubs. They are just making sure that you have the income to be able to pay the rent.

It seems to me more like - if I'm a struggling, starving artist, my chances of getting the house are less than if I was an MBA in Finance..... unthinkable!!

Maybe this is why Prince was still living in his parents house in Purple Rain....

If they're afraid about the money, why don't they just take a couple months deposit?

domainator2010 said:

It seems to me more like - if I'm a struggling, starving artist, my chances of getting the house are less than if I was an MBA in Finance..... unthinkable!!

Maybe this is why Prince was still living in his parents house in Purple Rain....

If they're afraid about the money, why don't they just take a couple months deposit?

that's what i used to encounter. first and last months rent payments.

domainator2010 said:

I'm a Landlord and have always requested proof of income.

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100% of the time, this is done with a 3mths payslips - so you know who the employer is.

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As a matter of course the tenant job is also part of the check...why would someone wish to hide this? That would alert me straightaway.

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I like a good relationship with tenants - so if they begin by witholding basic information like that...then it doesn't insipre me with confidence/build trust.

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In addition, depending on the length of tenancy - I may also ask for employment terms - temp/contract/fixed.

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Pretty standard stuff for me - and fingers crossed I have had minimal problems over the last 20yrs.

Connected said:

As a matter of course the tenant job is also part of the check...why would someone wish to hide this? That would alert me straightaway.

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What if that tenant was Prince, c. the 1970s, ie. before he had a record deal?

Here the landlord does a background check, and credit check etc and also they need to know who you work for so they know they will get paid.

The landlord does this to protect themselves as well as their property.

domainator2010 said:

Connected said:

As a matter of course the tenant job is also part of the check...why would someone wish to hide this? That would alert me straightaway.

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What if that tenant was Prince, c. the 1970s, ie. before he had a record deal?

I wouldn't have taken him on - because he had no money....or stable income

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The only way I would have considered him, is if there was a guarantor...who underwrote the agreement

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In other words, Prince, if you can't/won't pay...then I have recourse against your guarantor

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Obviously the guarantor would have to satisfy the aforementioned criteria

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A bit of balance here...Landlords have financial commitments, credit scores too!

So, where are temp and contract workers supposed to live (the new wage slave subclass}.

shiloh66 said:

I'm in the US (NC) and I've been asked for (and provided) my last 2 pay stubs. They are just making sure that you have the income to be able to pay the rent.

Exactly..There's usually an aplication involved, non-refundable fee, stubs, credit check, drug test, Ethnic test...Ain't nobody gonna put a person in their rental unless they are the Landlord's side-piece...We do thangs different in America...

Connected said:

domainator2010 said:

What if that tenant was Prince, c. the 1970s, ie. before he had a record deal?

I wouldn't have taken him on - because he had no money....or stable income

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And then you have the nerve to come and hang out here, on this site?

What if he gave you one of his "demo" tapes, ie. you listened to "Head" or something....would you have given the house to him then?

And.... if landlords have financial commitments, then they can have...... DEPOSITS! , as I've already said.

....what in God's name is an ETHNIC test.....? Sounds interesting..... ....The one thing I'm spared, here in India....

I currently rent out my condo and yes, proof of income/employment is a necessity.

You could be the most talented artist or the nicest person in the world, if you can't show me you can afford to pay rent you can't live in my place.

Credit and Background checks, are normal. I don't think it matters what kind of job you have as long as it's legal (for most places) and you can pay the rent, what you do for a living is your business.

purplethunder3121 said:

So, where are temp and contract workers supposed to live (the new wage slave subclass}.

Check this out as well:

http://www.wired.com/2016...y-workers/

domainator2010 said:

Connected said:

I wouldn't have taken him on - because he had no money....or stable income

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And then you have the nerve to come and hang out here, on this site?

What if he gave you one of his "demo" tapes, ie. you listened to "Head" or something....would you have given the house to him then?

And.... if landlords have financial commitments, then they can have...... DEPOSITS! , as I've already said.

I have paid Prince for his music...

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He should pay me to live in one of my houses...your suggestion is a gamble (and unrealistic)

Deposits don't pay monthly mortgage paymenys - 12mth contract and 2 mths deposit - do the Maths!

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Get real...nothing is free...

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Apart from illegal downloads and some porn sites!

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And don't tell me about "nerve"...grow up, get a job, pay your bills, get credit, buy your own house....

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Starving artist my ass

Connected said:

domainator2010 said:

And then you have the nerve to come and hang out here, on this site?

What if he gave you one of his "demo" tapes, ie. you listened to "Head" or something....would you have given the house to him then?

And.... if landlords have financial commitments, then they can have...... DEPOSITS! , as I've already said.

I have paid Prince for his music...

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He should pay me to live in one of my houses...your suggestion is a gamble (and unrealistic)

Deposits don't pay monthly mortgage paymenys - 12mth contract and 2 mths deposit - do the Maths!

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Get real...nothing is free...

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Apart from illegal downloads and some porn sites!

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And don't tell me about "nerve"...grow up, get a job, pay your bills, get credit, buy your own house....

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Starving artist my ass

Whilst I respect most of your posts Connected, I believe that it's not quite as easy as you make out. In reality houses can cost many times a persons wage and, with rental prices through the roof, many are unable to save a deposit to buy their own homes. Me & family have worked our backsides off for years and yet we have been unable to buy a home. I fear my children will never be able to buy one either. We pay our bills, we pay our rent, we are not in debt, our only crime has been to not have any money free at the end of each month (and we certainly don't live extravagantly). The housing problem is not helped by the fact that huge numbers of people own multiple houses for profit rather than each family owning just one home to live in.

Whilst I don't understand why dominator doesn't want to disclose the required information which those of us who rent have been disclosing for years, I do feel my shackles rising at those who think it is as easy as just getting a job and then buying a house. I do not think dominator is right, but I don't think your response is right either.

.....because getting the house/not depending on the KIND of occupation is WRONG! It's WRONG!!!

It's not the money by itself that's the problem - if something is beyond my reach, of course I'm free to live in shittier digs..... (not that it's that easy in India, but you catch my drift....)

domainator2010 said:

.....because getting the house/not depending on the KIND of occupation is WRONG! It's WRONG!!!

It's not the money by itself that's the problem - if something is beyond my reach, of course I'm free to live in shittier digs..... (not that it's that easy in India, but you catch my drift....)

I absolutely agree. Unfortunately, the landlord has the power to decide who can or can't live in their house and rightfully so. I have suffered the opposite to you. When an ex-landlord deemed us to be earning lots of money they put the rent up by crazy amounts each year until the property became unaffordable and we were forced to move on.

I don't know about the housing market in India but I wish you well in finding something suitable.

It's actually a privelege, not a right, to rent someone else's space. No one should be expected to sponsor your art by letting you move in without a steady income.

Connected said:

domainator2010 said:

What if that tenant was Prince, c. the 1970s, ie. before he had a record deal?

I wouldn't have taken him on - because he had no money....or stable income

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The only way I would have considered him, is if there was a guarantor...who underwrote the agreement

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In other words, Prince, if you can't/won't pay...then I have recourse against your guarantor

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Obviously the guarantor would have to satisfy the aforementioned criteria

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A bit of balance here...Landlords have financial commitments, credit scores too!

Also...prior to June 7, 1976, he was a minor. He couldn't have legally rented a place in any case.

But I'm pretty sure he rented places after he signed with WB. Was the house on France Ave. the first place he rented, himself?