Your Rights to Confidentiality When a Private Landlord Gathers Criminal Record Information on You

Does the landlord have to protect and keep confidential my criminal record and other personal information?

Yes. When a landlord collects information in the background check process—like credit reports and criminal background checks/ tenant screening reports, the landlord CANNOT use those reports for any other purpose than the one they originally asked for. Also, when a landlord is done using the information, federal law requires that he/she get rid of it (whether in paper or electronic form).[1296]

  1. 1296

    15 U.S.C. § 1681w (a)(1).