Should private/commercial tenant have to give passport details to letting agent?

Is it the norm to ask tenants in a private or commercial letting to give their passport details to the auctioneer who is letting the premisies on behalf of the landlord?

I thought only the solicitors involved would ask for such details.

I've a dozen odd foreign tenants and have never asked for passport details, but I think that it's perfectly acceptable for a landlord or his agent to ask for them whether the tenant is foreign or Irish.

Could be useful if one of the tenants commits a serious crime, though not much use for recovering costs if the tenant does a bunk or causes damage in excess of the deposit.

Hi Oldnick, in this particular case the interested tenants are Irish and have excellent credible references. The letting agent asked them for their passport details and they were non too pleased, as they thought the solicitors in question should be the ones to ask for such information.

The agent is completely out of order. The landlord would be better off finding a new agent.

As I say ,I've never asked as I can't see much point. But if someone is more cautious than me, then fine.

One shows one's passport to hotel receptionists, airline check-in staff, ferry-boat workers when boarding and even as an age identification if one hasn't got that easy-to-forge age-card - so what's the problem or objection showing photo ID to someone whose property you'll occupy?

I've never been asked for my passport when renting commercial/residental property in Ireland.

I don't see what the problem is .... it's a recognised form of proof of identity.

Boomtobust said:

Hi Oldnick, in this particular case the interested tenants are Irish and have excellent credible references. The letting agent asked them for their passport details and they were non too pleased.

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I don't blame them. I have been apartment hunting for the past month. I am relocating from the US, so I always ask up front what paperwork/references the letting agents or landlords will require, as I am not familiar with Irish letting practices or the paperwork required. I have NEVER been told that I have to produce my passport to rent an apt. I would be very, very wary if I was. I would be worried about fraud/identity theft if a non government agency third party wanted to photo copy my passport. If I was a foreign national with no Irish references, I think that it would be understandable for the landlord to want to have a government issued photo ID on file, just in case there are any issues down the road. But for an Irish national who is able to provide references, asking the tenant to produce a passport is going way over the top imo, and is borderline insulting ! If I was in love with the property and didn't want to lose it, I suppose I could bring myself to show the letting agent my passport just to prove that I was who I said I was, but there is no way that I would let him make a copy of it.

Maybe the landlord was an agent of Mossad ,an agency that has a penchant for using Irish passports....

beffers said:

I would be worried about fraud/identity theft if a non government agency third party wanted to photo copy my passport.

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Do bear in mind that if you consult with an accountant or solicitor for professional advice, they are legally obliged to take and retain on file for 7 years a certified copy of your passport or driving licence.

That is fair enough. I would have no problem with my own family solicitor who acts on my behalf and on my instructions only, having a copy of such a personal and private document on file if need be. Some cowboy of a land lord, estate agent or auctioneer, who I know nothing about, and have known for all of 5 minutes doing the same thing? I don't think so !

I just heard back today from the estate agent who is handling the apt that I will be renting soon. All she needed was my bank info to verify that I have the capability to pay the rent by standing order, work references and previous rental history references. No other info or photo ID was needed. I am having a hard time seeing a circumstance where they would be needed, unless the personal circumstances of the tenant were very unorthodox or shady, and nothing that the OP has said so far indicates that that is the case.

as mercman say's .... if you ain't happy with it move on.

Plenty of more places out there.

I recently let my house for the first time and I did ask for ID - either copy of passport or driver's licence - just so I could satisfy myself that the people who were renting my house were who they said they were! Perhaps it's overkill but I am happier to have this ID on file.

Thank you for all replies. I let property myself and when friends came to me and asked was this the norm I said I had never asked for photo ID from any tenant.

As Paddy mentioned I think it really is a case of if you don't like what you hear then move on to the next property. As we know there's tons of them out there.