Is it legal for a landlord to contact your employer?

Question

and ask how much you make? IF i provide my pay check stubs why should landlords call my employer to see how much i make

I live in california

Answer 1

They are verifying your income. Didn't you read the application you signed? You authorized it. They can contact ALL the people and companies you listed and verify ALL the things you wrote on it.

Answer 2

I always do, because people lie and people give false papers.

It is not legal for your employer to say how much you make if the landlord says "How much do they make?"   But it is legal if they say, "Joe Blow declared his income at  $xx.xx a month.  Is this true and correct?"   Your employer can say yes or no.

Also, I never call "the boss", but the HR department as sometimes the boss really does not know what the employees are paid since it is not his job to pay them.

Answer 3

Usually landlords will conduct a credit check on prospective tenants, including checking with their employer.  You were probably asked for references when you applied for the rental, and may have signed a permission statement allowing the landlord to contact your employer.  You read the fine print on everything you signed, didn't you?

Answer 4

A decent rental application will have a disclaimer allowing the landlord to verify all info provided, check references, run credit, criminal and background checks. When you sign the application, you give permission for the landlord to do so.

As a landlord, I not only verify an applicant's income, I also verify the length of employment.

When checking references and info, I am making sure everything on the application is true.

The applicant's most recent pay stubs may include overtime or other compensation that is out of the norm and may not reflect their actual weekly or biweekly pay.

If an applicant inflates their income or is untruthful about the length of their employment, it is a red flag and reason for denial.

Hey, it's the landlord's property. It's worth tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars and it is in the landlord's best interest to fully check out an applicant before handing over care and control of that property.

Answer 5

It is if you signed an authorization...........More importantly! Did your employer disclose your information without your permission? They shouldn't have!!

My rental agreements (as landlord) state that I can verify any information you give me to make a credit determination.

Answer 6

It is legal. I lease apartments for a living and I have seen my share of FAKE paychck stubs!:) So we either call/ fax employment verification OR we ask for a Tax return done by a Professional (ONLY if the person is still with the same company)  

Answer 7

Income verification is legal, and a landlord or other potential creditor does NOT have to take your word for it.  Pay stubs can be faked.