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by into_infinity 1274 days ago
It is pretty unusual in most parts of the world for landlords to get access to one's credit records. Credit reporting is a pretty US-specific phenomenon, even if you're applying for a bank loan or a credit card.

You usually present proof of earnings and possibly references from previous landlords. And if you get unlucky - well, same as in the US, in many of the nicest markets, you're facing an uphill battle to evict people.
5 comments
oezi 1274 days ago
I guess it depends per country. In Germany it has become common that the landlord will require a credit score (called Schufa) plus the things you mentioned (3 months of pay slips, references of balances paid from past landlord).

Strong data protection rules have made it that there is now a credit score report which is only giving you a pass/fail so that landlords don't know too many details.

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wink 1274 days ago
AFAICT Schufa is not like a US credit score. It's just OK/NOT OK, or a list of "infractions".

Which means if you always paid your stuff on time, a virtual +1 is the same as a +1000, and the visible result will just be "OK" and after a while the entries will age out if it was a "NOT OK"

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dazc 1274 days ago
In the UK you invariably rent through an agent who has access to credit reporting, the cost of which is passed on to both you and the landlord. If you're self employed or a company director then there are a few other things you have to pay for, £45 to look at your balance sheet, for example, which is freely available to anyone else.

I know a few landlords and despite the efforts they take to find the perfect tenant, they all have tales to tell of people who passed all the tests with flying colours but soon turned out to be a costly disaster.

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EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK 1274 days ago
US has very strict non-discrimination laws in housing. Requesting credit reports is a way to circumvent those laws.
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sadpasture 1274 days ago
Standard practice in Germany, although the credit system here is a bit better than the US since it works by "demerits" rather than "building credit". Meaning you start out high, and only lose credit if you fail to make payments on a loan.

Also I think landlords can only see a high level summary and final score, not the details of your financial situation.

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pcthrowaway 1274 days ago
Completely normal in Canada also
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