Firm that does background checks for landlords being investigated

Theprivacycommissionersof Canada and British Columbia have launched an investigation into a Victoria-based companythatperformsbackgroundcheckson tenants and others.

They say in a joint statementthatCertn is being assessed to make sure it complies with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act andB.C.'s Personal Information Protection Act.

Thecommissionerssay they willinvestigatewhether "consent provisions" in both laws are being followed, and whether the data it collects is being used appropriately.

Certn's website saysthatinstead of using "outdated" manual screeningforclients, it performsbackgroundchecksusing "100 per cent online automatedchecks," and can conduct criminal recordchecks, identitychecks, and employment verification in more than 200 countries.

The company wasn't immediately available to provide The Canadian Press with a comment on the investigation by thecommissioners.

PrivacyCommissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne says in a news releasethatpersonal information collected about potential tenants must be collected with consent and must be accurate because it "may ultimately impact an individuals' ability to find a place to live."

B.C.PrivacyCommissioner Michael Harvey says there's a balance between theprivacyrights of individuals and the needs of businesses to collect information about them.

"At a time when hundreds of thousands of British Columbians are facing affordability and housing challenges, striking this balance and ensuringthatpeople'sprivacyrights are respected in the rental space is critically important," he said in the release.

A spokesperson for Certn said in a statement that the company is co-operating with the investigation and providing necessary information to the commissioners.

"Our background screening services are only initiated with express consent from tenants and with the utmost regard for privacy," the statement read.

"We look forward to working collaboratively with the commissioners to address any findings and will continue to develop innovative ways for prospective tenants to obtain verified credentials across Canada."