Metro Vancouver landlord asks renter for $1,150 deposit just to apply

Metro Vancouver landlord asks renter for $1,150 deposit just to submit an application (PHOTOS)

Facebook Marketplace

A Metro Vancouver renter found a place in New Westminster she thought would be perfect until the landlord informed her that she had to put down a $1,150 deposit just to be a candidate.

Danielle Briggs emailed Daily Hive Urbanized about her story, and she was flabbergasted that someone would engage in this sort of practice.

“Along with the application, I was sent an additional form asking me to send the full deposit with my application as a condition for my application to be processed and considered.”

Daily Hive Urbanized received screenshots of the documents and email interactions, and Briggs’ claims checked out. Briggs reported the incident to New Westminster Police, who told her they would investigate.

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The rental unit in question was listed on Facebook Marketplace for $2,300 a month by Lori Dick; a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with approximately 740 sq ft of space.

A description of the unit suggests that it would be available on September 1 and includes amenities like a swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, gym and one parking space. The successful applicant would be required to sign a minimum six-month lease.

The marketplace listing now says that the unit is rented, but the ad is still up.

Facebook Marketplace

After Briggs checked out the unit and decided to apply, things got weird. She sent an email expressing interest and received a response that said she needed to pay to qualify as a candidate.

“Nice to meet you and glad you’re interested in renting our place. Attached is the Security Deposit paperwork that we ask that you sign and send back with the deposit of $1,150 to this email address. As well, please complete and return the Rental Application and we’ll begin the reference check process,” the response states.

Submitted

The Residential Tenancy Act states that a landlord must not “require a security deposit at any time other than when the landlord and tenant enter into the tenancy agreement.”

The request for a deposit had additional information listed.

Submitted

“This amount is provided in good faith showing your keen interest in renting our condominium for a 6-month (at minimum) or 1-year (preferred) period.”

Briggs said she was interested and very serious about the place as it was her “top pick.”

She also initially thought that the landlord was asking for the deposit as a condition for tenancy, not as a condition to apply. Briggs initially thought the fact she was being asked for a deposit meant she got the place. She was worried that if she didn’t get the apartment and did offer the application deposit, her money would be tied up in the unit and she wouldn’t be able to move forward with another unit.

She expressed her feelings of wariness to the landlords.

“I wrote them back telling them I was concerned about this and could they please advise on how else we could move forward with this and asked why they are wanting to do it this way and I never received a response back.”

Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out to New Westminster Police about the investigation.

While it seems like a scam on paper, the fact that Briggs got to see the place and interact with the landlords makes it seem more like these landlords might have just been able to get away with this tactic. While it is illegal according to tenancy rules, if no one but Briggs has reported it, it wouldn’t have mattered until now. Briggs said the landlord suggested that 10 other applicants had applied, meaning they would’ve been holding nearly $12,000 in deposits.

“This is a good amount of money they could get and also why would anyone want to be responsible to manage nearly $12,000 and have to send about $11,000 of that back to 9 other people. That seems like a headache,” Briggs said.

Response from the landlord

Daily Hive Urbanized asked the landlord for a response to concerns about the way they’ve been handling fielding applicants for their rental, including asking this renter for a deposit.

The landlord replied, “Hello. Our place [has] been rented.”

“Kind regards.”

The response was from Dick, one of the people who was in communication with Briggs and the person who listed the rental on Facebook Marketplace.

We followed up with a second email asking about their decision to ask a renter for a deposit just to submit an application. We will update this story when we get another response.

If you’ve ever been asked to put a deposit down just to apply for a rental unit, please let us know in the comments.

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