Renting in the GTA: What Landlords Ask For and What They Cannot

Rental competition in the GTA means applications are decided in hours. Having a complete package ready is worth more than anything you can negotiate on price.

What to have ready

Employment letter, two recent pay stubs, a credit report you pulled yourself, photo ID, and references from a previous landlord. Applying with all five puts you ahead of most other applicants on the same unit.

First and last month's rent

Legal in Ontario, and standard. Last month's rent is a rent deposit applied to your final month, not a damage deposit.

What is not allowed

Damage deposits, key deposits beyond the actual replacement cost of the key, and post-dated cheques as a mandatory condition are all contrary to the Residential Tenancies Act. A landlord may ask for post-dated cheques; you may decline.

The standard lease

Most residential tenancies in Ontario must use the government's standard lease form. Additional terms can be added in the appropriate section, but they cannot override the Act. A term that says you forfeit your deposit if you leave early is unenforceable.

Guarantors

Common for students and newcomers. The guarantor signs the lease and is jointly liable — make sure they understand that before they sign.

If a listing asks you to wire a deposit before you have seen the unit or signed a lease, it is a scam. Every listing on this site is represented by a licensed brokerage, which is the simplest protection there is.