When you apply to rent a house, you're required to provide pay stubs and salary information. The landlord can (does?) use this to know how much they can jack up your rent next lease term (my landlord raised our rent $800/month in January).
Same with insurance salespeople, car salespeople, etc. Everyone who gets access to your financial data can use it against you.
There should be a 3rd party involved -- they take your documentation and then report to the landlord/salesperson/etc. a simple "is the person qualified?" Yes or No. And then permanently destroy said documentation.