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When asked for policy on ID requirements from the rental manager, they keep telling me that they require 3 forms - state, ssn card, passport. (Passport is at Visa office for at least a week, can't find my SSN card.) However, they ignore me when I ask if they could send the policy for me to review, or to see if there are other forms of ID that are acceptable.

Are they supposed to do that? (Or, allowed to "cite policy" without ever showing it verbatim)

This is, ironically keeping me from having building access though I'm paying $5,000/month rent... While I have a key to my apartment itself, I don't have access to the building. I have to call in to a friend to let me into the building each time.

The lease agreement indicates this, but they keep insisting that credit cards are not acceptable. When I ask for policy, they keep side-stepping. What is going on? I feel like I am being bullied.

The term “proper identification” as used in subdivision (b) shall mean that information generally deemed sufficient to identify a person. Such information includes documents such as a valid driver’s license, social security account number, military identification card, and credit cards. Only of the consumer is unable to reasonably identify himself with the information described above, may an Investigative consumer Reporting Agency require additional information concerning the consumer’s employment and personal or family history in order to verify his identity.
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    What state/city are you in? Sep 18, 2017 at 2:35
  • San Francisco/CA
    – ina
    Sep 18, 2017 at 3:37
  • Are you the lease-holder, or is this a private arrangement with the lease-holder?
    – user6726
    Sep 18, 2017 at 4:25
  • i'm one of the two lease-holders
    – ina
    Sep 18, 2017 at 23:44

1 Answer 1

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A landlord cannot inquire as to the immigration status of the tenant or prospective tenant or require that a tenant or prospective tenant make any statement concerning his or her immigration or citizenship status.(Civil Code Section 1940.3). A demand for SSN card, Passport may violate provisions of code ibid.

A landlord can request information or documents in order to verify and applicant's identity and financial qualifications. California Practice Guide, Landlord-Tenant, Paragraph 2.553 citing Koebke v. Bernardo Heights Country Club (2005) 36 Cal.4th 824 [31 Cal.Rptr.3d 565]. See Civil Code Section 1940.3.

Now that we are guided on the law, what does the rental agreement say regarding access keys ? Who is the lessor ? A room mate who pays rent and one who may not be a lessor may not contractually have legal rights to access the building. The apartment, in the interest of security may require all persons who have a need to access the building to show valid id in order to issue an access key.

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  • I'm one of the two lessors. I've been approved and they took my money. I've shown then my state ID, but they are requiring 2 additional forms of ID due to - apparently - I listed the wrong address in my credit check form
    – ina
    Sep 18, 2017 at 23:46
  • Specifically, the rental agreement I signed indicated credit cards are acceptable. However, they insist that they cannot accept credit cards.
    – ina
    Sep 19, 2017 at 0:05
  • You [willful and intentionally ?] provided false information in the rental application which included credit check application, a very important part of qualifying tenants. The landlord has a legitimate interest in demanding additional information when an important information provided was false. Who is to protect the landlord in the event an applicant were to lie and cause liability to the landlord ? You may obtain another photo ID such as school id, library id,State ID to protect your interest. Sep 19, 2017 at 1:06
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    Actually, it's the correct address. I updated my credit cards and all to my office address because I planned to travel for 8 months. It's just not a residential address, and that flagged somehow. They cannot accept school id or library id. I provided state ID, global entry and credit cards, but they want more.
    – ina
    Sep 19, 2017 at 1:17
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    i appealed to the investment board company and the PR department (with the implicit encouragement that my good friend from Forbes would be ecstatic to write about how they are locking their $5000/month residents out) and they solved the problem almost immediately.
    – ina
    Oct 9, 2017 at 22:23

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