I work for a property management company. My job is to basically oversee repairs, maintenance, and improvements to apartment buildings. On occasion, I act as a rental agent and help with the leases and apartment showing.
Whenever a person sees an apartment, especially an occupied unit, we require the person to show us any form of photo ID. The policy is fair. It protects us because we are showing the place to a complete stranger and protects the current tenants. The apartment seeker has to realize that he is entering another persons home. I think having to show any sort of documentation is more than reasonable. I think as a tenant, you would want to know who was stepping foot into your home.
Yesterday I asked a young man to see his ID and he absolutely went off on me. He said he will report me to the better business bureau, call the cops, local news,etc. He demanded to speak to my boss and became even more enraged when I told him that my boss would commend me for not letting him see the apartment without any ID.
This morning I arrived at work to see this posting on a local apartment review website...
Quote:
I recently made an appointment to see an apartment at ....., I was pretty unimpressed with the exterior as I arrived, but honestly didn't get to see anything beyond the sales office. As soon as I mentioned my appointment, the young ... employee immediately demanded a copy of my drivers' license, before he even introduced himself or welcomed me! Clad in baggy shorts and sneakers, this guy didn't inspire confidence that they would protect and/or destroy my personal info. Over the past two weeks, I have toured several dozen apartments across the Philadelphia area - professionally and privately managed, downtown and throughout the Main Line and other suburbs. NOT ONE other time have I encountered this premature and intrusive request.
I have no problem providing my full name, address, phone, email, etc (and of course plenty more if we are proceeding to a lease), but a drivers' license includes a photo, date of birth, state ID number, and sometimes SSN, a few items that are very helpful if someone wants to steal your identity. It's absolutely inappropriate for any business to retain this information at such an early stage. (For a nightmare outcome, see the WABC-NY Eyewitness News story from January 2009 where tons of personal information was found on the streets of NYC courtesy of Citi Habitats, one of NY's biggest residential property management and brokerage firms. http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story'section=news/local&id
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Yes, I am the young employee "Clad in baggy shorts and sneakers, that didn't inspire confidence that they would protect and/or destroy my personal info". Even if he wanted to rent the apartment, I wouldn't want to have to deal with an asshole tenant such as him anyway.
I've been at this job for over a year and people rarely complain when they are asked for ID. This guy made an ass out of himself causing a scene for everyone in the office to notice what a jackass he was.
I tried calling him today to further explain our policy since I didnt get a chance to yesterday during his shit throwing tirade. I hoped after a day to calm down, maybe he would be reasonable and amend his recent posting to atleast be fair. Needless to say, he blew me off and never returned my call.
If it wasn't an office/work atmosphere I probably would have choked slammed the guy on my desk