B.C. company that screens tenants for landlords under investigation by privacy watchdogs

A British Columbia company that performs background checks for landlords who are looking to screen potential tenants is coming under scrutiny from provincial and federal privacy watchdogs.

A British Columbia company that performs background checks for landlords who are looking to screen potential tenants is coming under scrutiny from provincial and federal privacy watchdogs.

In a joint statement Tuesday, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. announced they were investigating Certn Inc., a Victoria-based business that provides identity checks for businesses and governments.

The joint investigation is specifically focused on the company's practices in screening potential renters, according to the privacy watchdogs.

The federal commissioner will investigate the company's compliance with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, while the provincial agency will investigate its compliance with B.C.'s Personal Information Protection Act, according to the statement.

"The offices will examine the company's practices with respect to tenant screening to determine if they are compliant with the consent provisions under both laws," the watchdogs said.

"The offices will also assess whether Certn ensures that the information that it collects, uses, and discloses for the purposes of tenant screening is sufficiently accurate, complete, and up to date; and whether the purposes for which it collects that information are appropriate."

Federal privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne said in the statement that ensuring landlords and the companies they employ are compliant with privacy laws is especially important because "it may ultimately impact an individuals’ ability to find a place to live."