Privacy Act 2020, s 22, Principle 1
If you’re looking at a place being offered for rent by a landlord, they can only collect information that’s needed to decide whether you’d be a suitable tenant. They can’t collect any other information. See the chapter “Privacy and information”, under “Rules for when people collect information about you”.
The Privacy Commissioner has produced a new set of guidelines for landlords on this issue. Visit www.privacy.org.nz and search “Privacy act guidance for landlords and tenants”