RentTech platforms sidestep Victorian data rules, demanding extra tenant information

The Consumer Policy Research Centre’s latest report reveals that several RentTech companies operating in Victoria are requesting tenant information that falls outside the scope of the state's new standard rental application form. Using mystery-shop tests on three major platforms, the CPRC identified practices such as unnecessary data collection, screening tests and reward schemes, as well as third-party fees for background checks in jurisdictions like New South Wales and South Australia.

Although Victorian law now restricts agents to identity and income details, the platforms continue to gather broader data that could be passed to debt collectors or financial services. CPRC deputy chief executive Chandni Gupta warned that renters face a power imbalance, with limited alternatives to these services. The report also notes a recent privacy commissioner finding that a leading RentTech platform had collected unnecessary personal data unfairly over five years.