landlord application

I’d like to tackle the inequality between landlord and renter with respect to the rental application process. In many regions the rental applicant is required to provide detailed and private information while the prospective landlord is not expected to disclose any. This is unjust. Typically, the required information consists of:
•contact of last two landlords
•place of work and manager's contact
•credit report (and credit card number)
•social security number
•photocopies of identity documents (passport, visa, license)

The rental applicants provide private and confidential information to enable the prospective landlord to inquire about their past in order to evaluate them as tenants; however, the renters have no means to assess the risks of renting from a particular landlord aside from a brief encounter. The current customary process is biased against the renter and this really has to stop (man, it's aggravating!)

I suggest a webpage that will provide a reasonable solution to this bias by providing an equivalent to the rental application, the "landlord application." This is an application that the landlord completes and provides as a counter to the customary rental application. It is suggested that the following information be included in such application:
•contact of last two tenants
•landlord's full name and address
•number of people and ages of people living in house (if shared)
•landlord's place of work

The webpage will also concentrate all resources to renters and possible have a database of rental ratings posted by past renters.

This information will enable the prospective renter to inquire with previous tenants about the rental and the landlord. For example, one could ask if there were noises from the unit above or if the landlord unjustly deducted money from the deposit. In addition, one can inquire with the local city records for previous claims against the landlord and their outcome.

Most of us felt at some point the helplessness and despair due to a bad landlord or loud neighbors in an apartment complex. This is the time to receive the information we deserve as renters prior to signing an agreement with people who might mistreat us and may have done so in the past without any accountability. Both parties need to know who they are entering an agreement with; it should not be as one-sided as it is today.

Any takers?

Addition:

I understand that current landlords may not like/support this idea due to obvious reasons. They just had it too good for too long: ZERO accountability; and it is hard to give that up. Ultimately, I would like to see this as common practice. Both parties check the history of each other, what could be fairer than that? The assumption landlords always make is that they and all other landlords are angels while tenants are out to rip their carpets up and raise their utility bill </rant>.

BTW: how would one find past tenants without the help of the landlord? That suggestion is just silly. I want to rent a place not change my career to be a detective.