As governments move to standardise rental application processes across Australia, tenant privacy is rightly in the spotlight—especially amid growing concerns about data protection in an age of rising cybercrime.

The bottom line is that tenants must provide personal information to support a rental application. But increasingly, there are concerns about the volume and type of data and information collected, and who has access to it. There’s also a clear push to ensure property managers shorten the period for holding data after a tenancy ends.

In response, Queensland, South Australia and Northern Territory have rolled out standardised rental application forms to limit the amount of personal information collected. NSW is set to follow suit. The goal in these states is to protect tenants' privacy and reduce the risk of data breaches – and ensuring that property managers only collect the data that is necessary for weighing up whether a tenant is the right fit for a rental property.

While the information collected may vary slightly between states and territories, this information will usually allow property managers to verify your identity (e.g. driver’s licence or passport), confirm you can afford the rent (payslips or bank statement) and review your rental history (references from previous landlords or property managers). They also need to identify any other occupants including co-tenants, and whether you have any pets.

A property manager won’t need to ask personal questions unrelated to your tenancy, such as your relationship status and so on. Although uncommon, such questions from a property manager can raise discrimination concerns, and most real estate professionals recognise the legal risks involved.

That said, if a tenant feels uncomfortable with any questions asked of them, they can lodge a complaint with the relevant state authority. In Queensland, for example, there is the Residential Tenancy Authority (RTA) or Fair Trading in NSW.

At Raine & Horne, we’re actively educating our property managers about their responsibilities around data collection, retention, and deletion. We’re committed to making sure our offices understand what information is appropriate to request—and what crosses the boundary.

The bottom line is that privacy matters, and the industry is evolving to protect tenant data better.

Need more clarity about your rental application or privacy rights?

Reach out to your local Raine & Horne Property Manager. They’re here to help you understand what information is required—and to ensure your privacy is protected every step of the way.