Rent nice or you'll end up on the "Do Not Rent List"
Filed under: Home, Real Estate
WKYC in Cleveland reports on a new service for landlords which allows them to snitch on bad tenants. The site is called DoNotRentTo and the service also allows prospective landlords to find bad apples before renting to them. Landlords can add people to the list for free, but searching the list for the innocent renter will run you $30 bucks a year.According to WKYC, tenants who have been badmouthed unjustly can contact the company to dispute the claim. The problem with this logic is that most tenants will not know they are in the database until they have already lost out on an apartment, that is, unless they fork over the money for a subscription.
I am all for warning potential landlords about crappy renters, you can't rent without running into at least one bad tenant during the course of your business, so any tool is helpful. Unfortunately this database won't keep you from renting to the frat boys from hell, who are out on their own for the first time. Despite this downside the service looks to provide useful background information so that landlords can make an informed decision. The available information includes, anecdotes, damages, drug use, sexual offenders, and more.
Besides the possibility of being listed by an angry landlord for no reason another issue really bothers me about this site. The tenant complaint form asks for part of the drivers license number, last four of the SSN, full name and address. All of which is collected on what appears to be an unsecured page. Granted this information is incomplete, but it does provide a good start to anyone who wants to use social engineering to con more information, maybe your birthday or your full SSN out of a past utility provider or other entity tied to that address.
Personally, I'd rather see renters who trash apartments living in the trash than perpetuating the damage on an unsuspecting landlord, but DoNotRentTo needs to add some more safeguards for security and wrongful accusations.
What do you think about this service? Sound off below.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-10-2008 @ 3:58PM
Katie said...
If it could use just the name and previous address, I think it is a very good idea. But, the whole sharing of that much personal information kind of disturbs me. I mean, if your identity got stolen due to some angry landlord posting your info online, how on earth could you fix that? And, who could you sue, since these days it's "sue all" times.
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6-10-2008 @ 4:05PM
Bruce said...
At the very least, if a landlord is forced to evict a tenant, or the tenant has trashed the rental, the landlord will have legal proof, documentation, photographs, and other quantifiable and true evidence.
I think there should be a required warning on the original Tenant Application stating that "you could end up on the website if you screw the landlord", and as long as there is a fair Dispute format provided by the site, this is a highly fair and practical system.
(BTW: THIS IS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO THAT "DONTDATEHIMGIRL" website, where any angry or dysfunctional woman can ruin the reputation of another person, without evidence, without proof, and without any reasonable protection, recourse, or safeguards to their target. Now THAT is scary.
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6-10-2008 @ 10:19PM
Josh Smith said...
Great points, the FAQ on DoNotRentTo covers the need for proof and allows for landlords to upload photos.
6-10-2008 @ 9:27PM
patty said...
There are different situations for any landlord/tenant...this service could bring out a lot of whackos wanting vengance against anyone, whether it's the landlord or the tenant.
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6-10-2008 @ 10:22PM
Josh Smith said...
I think the solution may be a database of the whackos, unfortunately people may label non whackos as whackos and then trying to prove your not a whacko will be much more difficult to do.
With great power....
6-27-2008 @ 11:55AM
sheliab said...
I think it is a horrible idea to create this web-site. Our economy is not doing good, people are loosing their jobs, houses are going into Foreclosure. Times is bad we do not need more problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!All lnadlords are not honest either. I rented from someone who owned alot of property houses, apartments and was renting it out. I did some investigating on my own about my landlord and I found out that he was under Federal Investigation for defrauding the U.S. Government, loans fraud, mail fraud etc.. and is now up for appeal and is still collecting rent. He is in Federal Court right now as I speak.
6-10-2008 @ 10:18PM
Kenny said...
Too much power to the landlords! The last apartment building I lived in, had 14 tenants, all of whom took the landlord to rent control court. I would hate to think that a vindictive landlord could have so much power, to ruin the lives of so many with the stroke of a key.
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6-10-2008 @ 10:21PM
Josh Smith said...
This is exactly why there needs to be some kind of check and balance system for any kind of database like this. Since it is compared to a credit check, it would be good if they offered a method for you to check your own record for free.
6-11-2008 @ 8:26AM
Justin said...
What I find funny is that you say this is too much power to the landlords. While I can understand that there are horrible landlords (and I sympathize with your situation), the same goes for renters. As of right now, in PA (I'm unaware of other state's policies and laws, though I'm not sure if this site would even be legal here), landlords are essentially left to fend for themselves when renting to individuals. You are not allowed to even give a negative reference to a landlord who is inquiring about a prospective tenant. How is it just that rotten tenants are able to go around discussing landlords, while landlords aren't allowed to do the same?
I think this is a fantastic idea, but also agree with Josh in the idea of checks and balances. One should not automatically be given the ability to libel someone. The necessity for proof should be just the ticket. The fact that there's a dispute system in place is reassuring, if only for the fact that they seem to want to run a well regulated and fair site. There are obvious other worries such as the database of SSN and drivers license portions.
This seems like a work in progress and it might turn into an invaluable tool for landlords and, in turn, for those who rent. If the bad tenants are rooted out, landlords have to spend less time and money on research, repairs, and worries. This would probably then lower the cost for renters. The key is to not tilt the system in favor of one side or the other.
6-12-2008 @ 1:14PM
james-al said...
I would hate to be the landlord who posts on this site without more than adequate substantiation of their charges. This will open them up to slander and libel charges beyond their wildest dreams. Because it is not an opinion place but a commercial enterprise they are not protected under free speech. Additionally the operators of the site will find it necessary to ultimately notify the named tenants of the landlord's comments since , again, this is a commercial enterprise. One false claim on their site could bankrupt them with a court ruling against them. This is the most ridiculous idea I have seen in a long time. Most renters and landlords do not get along all of the time and sheer timing of a dispute and a vehicle for venting is a can of worms I would avoid like the plague.
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