Being a landlord comes with the responsibility of safeguarding the confidential information of tenants, including credit card history, marital status, social security numbers, and previous addresses.
Because of the increasing paths that criminals can take to steal data, laws such as the Personal Information Protection Act have been enforced to protect consumers’ information.
Luckily, there are a variety of ways for landlords to secure data. Here are four ways a landlord can ensure that they keep their current tenants and build enough of a good reputation to bring in new ones.
Online Applications
When it comes to renting property, opting to use a free rental application service is a great modern alternative to signing paperwork that needs to be kept bundled together in a file cabinet, safe, or lock box in an office. Web-based software adds to security for the website by storing data in the cloud, which keeps the information out of the hands of criminals who are trying to get into one’s computer.
Passwords provide extra security because they not only allow for landlords to keep copies of information relating to rentals safe in case someone tries to hack into or physically steal their laptop, but they also help tenants protect their data in their own profiles.
Non Disclosure Agreements
Building trust with customers makes it easier for businesses to keep confidential information from getting out and into the world, and one way to do so is through mutual non-disclosure agreements. Landlords can use these contracts to protect mutual interests between them and tenants, and letting tenants know of the potential risks that they may face when it comes to data security shows them that the landlords take the protection of their information seriously. Before entering into or creating a new contract, make sure to consult with a lawyer so that all parties involved are equally informed about the details of the agreement.
NDAs also reduce the number of people who know of your tenants’ personal information by keeping it between you and them, which limits the chances that hackers, disgruntled employees and other potential thieves have of obtaining it.
Cyber-Liability Insurance
Data breaches can happen to anyone, from the average Joe to huge corporations, and if the hacking of companies such as Sony, LinkedIn, Target, and JPMorgan over the past six years has taught us anything, it’s that our current insurance policies have to catch up to our increasing dependence on the internet to handle our information.
That’s where cyber-liability insurance comes in, as it keeps you covered in case a hacker is able to get a hold of a tenant’s personal data. Companies that provide this type of insurance will be able to monitor credit to keep the tenant’s information from being used, find the source of the attack, offer legal support to cover the cost of legal fees in case the company gets sued, and coach the landlord through the situation so that they can prevent it from happening again.
Automatic Updates
Making sure that information is kept current can be useful when hackers try to get into a tenant or a landlord’s computer. This process is made simple thanks to automatic updates, which can be applied to security systems and the tenants’ profiles.
Automatic updates should always be turned on to get the best results, and they can keep up with new techniques that hackers are developing to obtain information. As a result, landlords are able to keep current data secure, and they can choose from a variety of management software options, including OneHub, Wedia, and Quip.
The evolution of the digital world has forced us to adapt to the security issues that individuals and companies face in protecting data. Landlords have several options available for keeping their tenants’ information safe from criminals and up-to-date so that trust is maintained between all parties.
