Rental applications commonly require identity documents, payslips, bank statements, employment information, references and credit-check consent. These records help landlords and property practitioners assess an applicant, but they also create important privacy responsibilities.
South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, commonly known as POPIA, requires personal information to be processed lawfully, for a defined purpose and with appropriate safeguards.
## Why rental information requires protection
Documents submitted during a rental application may reveal an applicant’s:
* identity and contact information; * income and employment history; * banking and financial information; * current residential address; * family or household information; and * credit history.
If these documents are collected unnecessarily, shared carelessly or stored insecurely, applicants may face identity theft, fraud, discrimination or other harm.
## A privacy checklist for landlords and managing agents
### 1. Collect information for a clear purpose
Before requesting a document, establish why it is reasonably necessary for assessing or administering the rental application.
Applicants should be told what information is being collected, why it is required and how it will be used.
### 2. Request only what is necessary
Avoid collecting excessive information merely because it might be useful later. The information requested should be relevant to affordability, identity verification, references, screening, contracting or another legitimate rental-related purpose.
### 3. Obtain proper authority for screening
Credit and background checks should not be conducted secretly. The applicant should receive an understandable explanation and provide the required consent or authorisation before screening takes place.
Consent does not remove the landlord or agent’s wider responsibility to process information lawfully and securely.
### 4. Restrict access
Application documents should be accessible only to authorised people who genuinely require them for the rental process.
Personal documents should not be circulated through informal groups or shared with unrelated landlords, contractors, prospective tenants or other third parties.
### 5. Store documents securely
Reasonable safeguards may include:
* secure digital systems; * strong passwords and access controls; * multi-factor authentication where available; * protection against unauthorised downloads; * secure handling of paper records; and * procedures for reporting suspected data exposure.
Ordinary messaging and email may create additional risk where documents are downloaded onto several devices or forwarded without proper control.
### 6. Keep information only as long as necessary
A landlord or managing agent should have a defensible retention process. Documents should not be retained indefinitely without a lawful or operational reason.
Records that must be retained for contractual, accounting, regulatory or dispute purposes should remain protected throughout the retention period. Information that is no longer required should be securely deleted or destroyed.
### 7. Respond properly to a security compromise
A lost device, misdirected email, exposed folder or unauthorised account access may constitute a personal-information security compromise.
The incident should be assessed promptly, access should be contained and the notification requirements under POPIA should be considered. Serious incidents may require notification to the Information Regulator and affected individuals.
## A checklist for rental applicants
Applicants can also reduce their exposure by:
* confirming that the property advertisement and representative are genuine; * asking why each document is required; * checking how documents will be submitted and protected; * avoiding unnecessary transmission of complete banking credentials; * reading screening and consent wording before accepting it; * keeping copies of submitted documents and communications; and * reporting suspected misuse or unauthorised disclosure promptly.
Applicants should never provide passwords, PINs or one-time banking codes as part of a rental application.
## Fair screening remains essential
Privacy compliance does not prevent landlords from conducting legitimate affordability, identity, reference and credit assessments. It requires those assessments to be proportionate, transparent, secure and connected to a genuine rental purpose.
Screening criteria should also be applied consistently and without unfair discrimination.
## How Besther can assist
Besther Property Services assists landlords and applicants with structured rental administration, application management, property support and responsible document-handling processes.
Request assistance through:
https://www.besther.co.za/contact
Sources:
* Information Regulator: Protection of Personal Information Act information and guidance — https://inforegulator.org.za/popia/ * Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 — https://inforegulator.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/PROTECTION-OF-PERSONAL-INFORMATION-ACT-4-OF-2013.pdf * Rental Housing Act — https://www.gov.za/documents/rental-housing-act * Information Regulator guidance on handling security compromises — https://inforegulator.org.za/2025/08/19/fact-sheet-handling-of-security-compromises/
This article provides general property-administration and privacy information. It is not personalised legal advice. The appropriate processing and retention requirements depend on the circumstances, applicable laws and contractual or regulatory obligations.