In documents obtained by Landlord Credit Bureau Facts and first published by The Hamilton Spectator it has been revealed that the Landlord Credit Bureau is using a secret field that can only be seen by other landlords to blacklist tenants.
After obtaining a copy of a sample Tenant Record posted by Landlord Credit Bureau in the Landlord members section of their website we noted a particularly interesting field – Landlords Experience Regarding This Tenancy.
The record clearly states the fact that this information is not shared with tenants but is shared with other landlords. It even places emphasis on it.
6 questions are put to the landlord in the field and only yes or no responses are permitted.
Toronto housing lawyer Benjamin Ries had this to say in the Spectator about the issue:
This idea of a secret list where tenants don’t know if they’re on it, don’t know what was said about them or by who, that’s what most people think about when they think about a blacklist”
The problem with this secret field are obvious. If a tenant isn’t even aware the field exists and is unable to see what is documented in it how can they dispute any mistakes or misrepresentation? The Landlord Credit Bureau claims it has systems in place for tenants to be able to dispute and correct their record, but how is that possible when part of that record is invisible to them?
In fact, it’s entirely possible for a tenant to have a spotless tenant record with LCB according to everything they can see on their end. They would never know why they were getting denied for rental applications because to them their record appears positive. It’s a cruel deception that leaves tenants unable to even know what they are accused of.
This document proves that what we feared all along is exactly what is happening. This is what the real business model of the Landlord Credit Bureau is – a veneer of respectability concealing a cruel blacklist the tenant isn’t even aware of.
This kind of predatory business model is not only against the law, it’s against the very principles of this country. It’s time for Zac Killam to stop abusing tenants in this country and end this practice immediately.
The full sample tenancy record can be seen here: