The rental market has gone completely mental, and I’m not just talking about the prices. I’ve been reading through some discussions about the absurd amount of personal information real estate agents are demanding from prospective tenants these days, and honestly, it’s left me equal parts frustrated and genuinely concerned about where we’re heading as a society.

Someone mentioned they were asked for their social media accounts during a rental application in Melbourne’s CBD. Social media accounts. Think about that for a moment. We’re talking about handing over the keys to your digital life just for the privilege of paying someone else’s mortgage. What’s next? DNA samples? A detailed psychological profile? Your browser history?

There’s something unsettling about moving into a new place and discovering that your home is literally marking you. I came across a discussion recently about someone who moved into a new apartment only to find their feet, their cat, and everything else turning black from some mysterious substance in their home. It’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder what other nasties might be lurking in rental properties across Melbourne.