Personality tests, dodgy reward programs, AI bots: how rent tech platforms make renting a ‘dehumanising’ experience

If you’re renting a house or apartment, you’re probably all too familiar with rent tech : online systems and apps for searching and applying for properties, paying rent and logging maintenance requests.

These platforms collect, use and circulate an enormous amount of data from and about renters.

Renters generally have no choice but to use the platforms, and little say over the data they are required to provide.

Many of these platforms now also incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) to automate communications with renters and optimise property manager workflows.

In my interviews with renters, many have told me they find using rent tech systems “dehumanising”.

I am investigating the impact of rent tech for my PhD research, which has also helped inform a new report from the non-profit Consumer Policy Research Centre.

Surveying rent tech platforms across Australia, we found a grim situation: while protections for renters are improving in Victoria after recent changes to the law, the same can’t be said elsewhere.

Deceptive designs and dubious claims The report notes widespread use of deceptive or manipulative design tactics (known as “ dark patterns ”) by rent tech platforms.

We found several attempts to trick renters into handing over more data than necessary.

Even where it’s not mandatory to provide certain pieces of information, renters are sometimes pushed and nudged to give it or shamed when they don’t.

This aligns with a landmark ruling from the privacy commissioner in April.

The commissioner found that one rental application platform, 2Apply, was collecting too much personal information from renters, and doing so in an unfair way.

The commissioner looked at the platform’s “online choice architecture”: its design, structure and way of presenting information.

The commissioner found it was unfairly pressuring renters into handing over more information than they would otherwise.